


Horizons

by ForestWhisper3



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other tags will come as I think of them, Self-Insert, Some Swearing, Starts pre-canon, Then goes into canon events, slow updating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 83,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23654365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForestWhisper3/pseuds/ForestWhisper3
Summary: [Cross-Posted from FF.Net]It was a typical plot. Someone finds themselves in a fictional world and suddenly becomes the one to change everything for the better...Right. Not happening. Did they have any idea how terrifying it was to even consider that line of thought? There was no way I was going anywhere NEAR ShinRa, and not even a time-traveling Cloud could make- wait, what? OC Self-insert.
Comments: 26
Kudos: 88





	1. Table of Contents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Table of Contents for Horizons. Figured I'd add it now before it gets too big to do later.

**Prelude**

(I know it's a prologue, not a prelude, but I want to use prelude as a nod to the FF soundtracks)

1: The Arrival

2: Settling In

3: The Unknown Addition

4: Stumbling Along

5: Startling Discoveries

6: A Few More Changes

7: Conversations

8: Introspections

9: ShinRa in Nibelheim (Part 1)

10: ShinRa in Nibelheim (Part 2)

11: The Decision

** Act 1: The Unknown Journey **

Scene 1: On Our Way

Scene 2: TBA


	2. Prelude: The Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there. If you clicked on this for the first time, welcome. If you've read this over on FF.Net, then welcome back. I've had a couple of people message me about posting this story here, so I decided that it couldn't hurt. FF.Net is near and dear to my heart due to the fact that it was one of the first sites I used, but I will admit to spending a fair amount of time on AO3 now too. There's some good stuff here. Anyway, self-inserts are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. It got to the point where I want to try my hand at it and, well...here we are. 
> 
> _However_ , I have been known to be a bit quirky when it comes to ideas, so of course, that had to apply itself here. Therefore, the premise of this story isn't just a self-insert, but a self-insert combined with _time travel_. How will the poor SI/OC person deal with being in a fictional world that happens to have someone who _knows_ what things should be like? Unlike other self-inserts, I do plan on focusing on different characters rather than focus on one person at all times. I think it adds a bit more, you know? So it'll switch between first-person and third-person depending on who I'm focusing on at the time.
> 
> I'm still trying to get the hang of the layout for this site, so if you see something a little funky, let me know. The other chapters up until the latest over on FF.Net should be trickling in within the next few days. Feel free to send me a message here or on a Tumblr account I made like a year ago (which I didn't really use until recently and am also trying to figure out) if you have any questions or the like. The name there is silverforestpen7. That aside, I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> **Disclaimer for the entire story:** The only thing I own is the plot idea for this story and any original characters that pop up. I don't own Final Fantasy VII or anything else that I might mention.
> 
> "Blah." = talking
> 
> _'Blah.'_ = Thinking
> 
> **OoOoOoOoOoOoOo** = scene break, transition, etc.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**The Arrival**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Everything was a blur of noises and colors and feelings. I was hardly aware of what was going on around me, having only my racing thoughts for company as I tried to get my head on straight and figure out what the _hell_ was going on.

I remembered feeling cold.

That was one of the few things I would understand the reason to once I finally gained some semblance of coherence. It was everything _else_ that bothered me. Like how it shouldn't _be_ this cold in the first place because I lived in a _desert_ \- or at least something very close to one. I was never sure.

Fear and confusion were also very prominent.

I'm sure I must have come to all sorts of frightening conclusions and thoughts, especially once the fact that I was a lot smaller than I _should_ have been finally sunk in. Distantly, I noted that was very quiet. Shock, maybe? I wouldn't have been surprised, but that meant there could be trouble once everything came to me. If I ended up crying, I wouldn't feel ashamed of it, to be honest. Considering the circumstances, I think almost everyone would have gone through something similar.

Finally, there was disbelief.

That feeling didn't come around until the end of that blurry time, at the first sign of civilization since waking up in the cold. The village was familiar somehow- like something I'd read in a book and imagined in my head when I was a kid or something that I'd briefly seen on television. At least, that's what I'd thought until I learned the name of the village.

_Nibelheim_.

My first thought after being snapped out of my daze was that someone was playing a terrible joke.

After a moment's consideration, I realized that my family would not pull something like this, regardless of how much they liked messing with me- too much of a waste of money, and frankly, _way_ too scary once someone had time to think about it. I doubted my friends were behind it for pretty much the same reason.

Plus, there was _no way_ a practical joke explained the small body.

I could feel the bite of the icy wind on my face and the sort of dull ache that spread through your body when you were out in the cold for too long, so it wasn't a dream...Probably...Maybe...

It still didn't explain how I'd gotten here.

"U-Uh...u-umm...It's gonna be fine."

I jumped at the feeling of something landing on my shoulder, turning to face a man. There was a jerk of familiarity when I saw his nervous smile and green eyes, but it took me a moment to place it, and even then, the most I got was a hazy little bit of memory. He was the man who'd found me- the one that I vaguely remembered trying to talk to me as we made our way to Nibelheim.

He couldn't be that bad if he'd been willing to help me, right?

"I-...I-..."

I swallowed as I realized that I had no idea what to say. I was alone, confused, scared, and probably _really_ far away from home. To hell with being a level headed adult, if that was really _Nibelheim_ , then I was fucked.

"H-Hey now! It's okay! Damn it, please don't cry..."

It wasn't okay, because all I could think about was how my mother would worry, my siblings, what would happen to my dog, and if I would ever manage to get home.

The last one only made me cry harder.

What was the point of this?! This kind of scenario was the sort of thing that you only saw in fanfictions! I wouldn't deny that I had entertained the idea in my mind once in a while, but it had been just for fun! I never _wanted_ it to happen! Couldn't whatever have brought me here chosen someone else? Or at least placed me in a world where I had more of an idea on what to do? I'd only really played Final Fantasy 7, and even then, the farthest I had ever gotten was where Cloud had to cross-dress! Any knowledge I had on the story and characters came from wiki sites, internet videos, and fanfiction- hardly useful if one wanted more of the details like bosses and where to find all the valuable items!

_'Please just let this be a horrible dream. Let me go **home**.'_

I didn't want to be here.

The last thing I felt before slipping into unconsciousness was the feeling of warm arms wrapping around me.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Matthew Allen liked to consider himself a good man. Granted, he'd been alone for a lot of his life, so he couldn't really make an accurate judgment, but the sentiment was still there. So, when he had noticed a disoriented little girl amongst the remains of a small merchant caravan on the side of the road, he hadn't hesitated to help.

When they entered the small village of Nibelheim, he began to have doubts.

It wasn't that he regretted saving the girl. On the contrary, he didn't think he could have lived with himself if he had just left her there. No, he was more concerned as to what he was going to _do_. He doubted a small village like this one would have an orphanage, and he especially doubted the townsfolk would be willing to just let him drop her off with a random villager.

There was also paperwork to consider. The thing about traveling merchants was that they were notorious for messy documentation. On the occasion that there was a birth, they sometimes forgot to get everything legalized before taking off again. For the most part, it was ignored so long as the parents themselves had identification and good merchandise- at least up until the child reached ten years of age, at the latest -but with the girl's parents no doubt dead, he had no way of knowing whether or not she was even in the system yet.

He didn't even have a _name_.

He had tried asking her once he got her into some warm clothes and away from the destruction, but she had been so out of it that after she didn't answer the first time, he hadn't had the heart to ask again. He imagined that it couldn't have been easy to deal with, and the girl was probably traumatized- another reason for them to refuse housing her, he realized.

He didn't have the kind of money to get a ride to a bigger town, so that was out. Sure, he could handle himself just fine while traveling, but he didn't know if he could do that while looking after a little girl too. So, it was between staying here for a while, or taking a gamble and see if he was skilled enough to keep them both safe.

He sighed and gently tugged on the small hand he was holding, hoping this place had an inn.

Then, he almost toppled over in shock when the hand tightly squeezed back.

For the first time since he'd found her the glazed look was gone, replaced by wide eyes and a tense body. Immediately, he panicked. He'd read about this- about how sometimes there was a delayed reaction after experiencing a big shock or event. What the hell had he been _thinking_?! He was nowhere _near_ qualified to deal with a child, much less one in her condition!

"U-Uh...u-umm...It's gonna be fine," he said with a nervous smile and an unsure hand on her shoulder.

Her eyes snapped up and locked with his. "I-...I-..."

He inwardly cringed when she gave a very ominous sniffle and her eyes filled with tears. He didn't like where this was going. Sure enough, moments later, she was _bawling_.

"H-Hey now! It's okay! Damn it, please don't cry..."

She only cried harder. Nerves shot, he frantically looked around, hoping to find someone that could help him. When he spotted a woman walking down the street, he didn't notice or register the tenseness of her shoulders or the frown on her face. All he was thinking was: woman equaled maternal instincts. Quickly picking up the girl, he dashed over.

"Miss, please, you gotta help," he began, not caring about the clear desperation in his voice. "I can't get her to stop."

To her credit, she took to having a frantic stranger approach her with a crying child remarkably well. The only sign that she was startled in any way was the widening of her eyes. Fortunately for him, she was kind enough to push whatever doubts she probably had to the side.

"What's the matter with her?"

"I-I think it's a delayed reaction. I found her in the remains of a merchant caravan-"

The woman gasped. "That's terrible!"

He grimaced but nodded in agreement. "I couldn't just _leave_ her there, you know? But now she's crying and I don't know what to do!"

The woman bit her lip for a moment, giving him the impression that she was thinking about something. Finally, she sighed lightly and took the girl into her arms. "My house isn't too far from here. Let's take her there before figuring out what to do."

Relief spread through him, and he was pretty sure it showed on his face. " _Thank you_."

She smiled slightly. "I can't just let a poor girl cry if I can do something about it. I'm sure you understand, seeing as you picked her up."

"Still, I really appreciate this. I mean no offense, but I know how things can be in small towns. I was a bit worried that I might not find someone willing to lend me a hand."

To his surprise, she scowled. "No offense taken. I know far too well how small towns can be."

There was something there, but he thought it best not to pry. "...Right. Anyway, I'm Matthew Allen."

"Skye Strife. It's a pleasure to meet you, Matthew."

"Likewise."

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter 1 End**

Hooray for unoriginal names!

Yes, I know that Cloud's mom is now officially named Claudia, but that's...Sorry, but I really don't like it. I first posted this chapter back in 2012. At that time, fanon had her name as Skye, and darn it if that didn't stick with me. Even Matthew was a bit unoriginal since I based him off of a mix of a few characters that I happen to like. He'll be a bit important since he's going to be the self-insert's guardian of sorts as she goes through childhood again (that bit will also be explained later), so I hope you guys like him.

Ah, I did the same with Tifa's dad, by the way. So for those of you who know his name, heads up. His was more an accident that I later didn't feel like changing, though.

I'm not really sure what else to add, so I'll end this here. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Take care and until next time!


	3. Prelude: Settling In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's chapter two. This one is only in first person point of view, I'm afraid, but that's because it's a summary of the years. In other words, it's what happened in the years before the main plot...or something like that.
> 
> Anyway, I won't keep you. I hope you like this chapter.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Settling** **In**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**~1 week after arrival**

This...was surreal.

I know I came to the conclusion that I was somehow _in_ a fictional world before I passed out, but it takes a while for something like that to really sink in, you know? I had been here for a week, and there were times that I thought I was insane- hell, I still _could_ be. For all I knew, I was sitting somewhere in the real world, mumbling to myself and hallucinating. It wasn't a pleasant thought, though, so I tried not to go there too much.

Instead, I focused on the blonde woman in front of me, trying to come to terms with the fact that I was looking at Cloud Strife's _mother_.

The creators never really said much about her, which was unfortunate, but the bit that had been on wiki seemed accurate enough. Slim, but strong, with pale skin and a slightly darker shade of blonde hair than Cloud, but the eyes were the same color. She was beautiful.

She also had a mean glare.

It was kind of funny, actually...as long as it wasn't directed at you, anyway. When the man- Matthew -suggested that he take me to the inn once I woke up, he lasted all of two seconds before he changed his mind. I wish I could do that; it was _impressive_. It was also then that I learned a bit about how Matt found me and brought me here. I couldn't believe my luck. 

I had been worried about how I was going to get identification on Gaia. Again, the creators never really said how it worked, but knowing some of the things ShinRa allowed, it seemed like it would be vital to _not_ be a nobody, as they were much easier to make vanish. Plus, I blame the fans for making me paranoid about the Turks and how far they're willing to track down a person's records. Anything I decided to do would be _way_ too suspicious if I didn't have papers, so learning that traveling merchants were abysmal at it took a huge weight off my back. My mood only improved after hearing Matt say he was going to register me.

Now if I could only get used to being a little girl again.

Going from just shy of twenty-two to five, at least judging from my appearance, was disorienting and frustrating. Sure, I was a bit of a child at heart and was pretty easy going most of the time, but not being treated as an adult when you were an adult would grate on anyone's nerves after a while. Adding to that the fact that I couldn't _reach_ anything anymore and was tripping over everything because I was used to a bigger body...well, I was not a happy camper.

"You have to leave the room eventually, you know."

I pouted, mostly because I knew she was right, but after tripping face first into the _toilet_ , I had refused to leave the room I was sharing with Skye until I got some semblance of balance again. 

It wasn't going too well.

"Come on, don't you want to see Cloud again?"

I fidgeted. Of course I wanted to see him- what fan of the game _wouldn't_? -but they had no idea how strange it had been to look at a one-year-old Cloud. It had been adorable and terrifying all at once. I couldn't look into his bright, innocent eyes without feeling sick to my stomach. I supposed that was because I knew that in a little over a decade, he would be in the hands of a sick, twisted man and _tortured_ until he _broke_. 

I'm sure this is the point where, in a story, the new character would take advantage of their younger body by training themselves for a few years. Then, they would bravely join ShinRa in order to prevent the bad things from happening- somehow making friends with all the right people and placing themselves in a position to help.

I couldn't help but wonder if those authors would still want to do that if they were in my position. 

I guess it wouldn't be much of a story if they just sat in the background, but the truth of the matter was that ShinRa _scared_ me. Call me a coward, but who in their right mind would want to join that company if they knew what it did? It would be like handing yourself over to the devil.

Den of monsters, indeed. Besides, what were the odds that I could even _make_ a difference?

"Hey, you okay?"

I sighed inwardly. I really needed to stop zoning out. Eventually, the whole traumatized excuse probably wasn't going to work. "Sorry..."

Skye smiled, and it sent a pang of homesickness through me when it made me remember my mom's smile. Skye had _nothing_ on my mom's smile. It didn't give me the same feeling of comfort, or safety, or love...

I wished she was here. I wouldn't feel so scared if she was.

"Come on," she said while picking me up (it was so weird to be small enough for that again). "I'll take you there this time, but I want to see you up and about on your own by the end of the week, okay?"

I nodded. What else could I do? If I was right, then I was probably going to be in Nibelheim for a while, so I should start getting used to it and figure out what I was going to do with myself. I just had to keep moving forward...I owed my mom that much, at least. I doubted she would want me to wallow in self-doubt.

I had a new life now. I had to make the best of it.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~6 months after arrival**

Before I knew it, I'd been in Nibelheim for half a year.

Matt and I became permanent residents at the Strife household at Skye's insistence, causing a wave of rumors in the town. I felt kind of guilty about that- if it hadn't been for me, then Matt could have just passed by and gone on with his life, and then the rumors would have never started. Instead, he was now my guardian and, according to the villagers, Skye's lover. 

I never liked gossip when in my other life, and it was things like this that made me remember why.

Skye had obviously still been suffering the loss of her husband when we met her. I learned that he had died in an accident while the two of them had been traveling to Nibelheim a little after Cloud was born. When she had arrived alone, the rumor mill immediately started, solidifying her as an unmarried woman with a child before she'd even had the chance to explain herself. Since she had nowhere else to go, she had to face their scorn while mourning and struggling to take care of her son. I have a deep respect for her because of that, but it only made the injustice of having even _more_ rumors pop up about her even more profound.

I think Matt felt the same way since he did his best to dissuade those rumors. Not that they _listened_ , but it was the thought that counted, I guess.

"Come on, kiddo. You don't want to be late for school, do you?"

I groaned and let my head fall into the couch cushion. If there was one downside I had to choose about being little again, it was _school_. Don't get me wrong, I love learning new things, but it was the _homework_ I hated. The world would be a great place if all you had to do was go to class and listen to what they were saying. Although considering I already knew most of the Earth-based material (history of Nibelheim and lessons on the local wildlife were new to me, though), even that was mind-numbingly dull.

"Do I have to?"

Matt chuckled and picked me up. I had to admit that being carried felt nice; I was going to be sad when I was too big for that again. "I know you're bored, but hang in there. Mayor Lockheart told me that if you do good this year, he'll let you take classes with the big kids."

Skip a couple of grades? Hell yes. The sooner I got schooling done with, the better.

"Really?"

"Yup! _Although it took a while to convince the bastard_ ," he muttered.

I couldn't resist. "What's a bastard?"

I had to try really hard not to laugh at the way his face paled. I felt a little bad at making him panic, but my inner child quickly pushed that aside with a cackle. Hey, if I was going to be a little kid again, I had to play the part right? It was so much more fun when you had the mindset to appreciate a prank like this.

"Nothing! It's nothing! Er...don't tell Skye, okay?"

"Why?"

"B-Because it...can be our little secret! Yeah! Wouldn't that be neat?"

I laughed. This man was horrible at dealing with this sort of thing. He should have just told the truth. 

"Hey! You laughed!"

I blinked in confusion. What was so strange about-...oh. Hmm, thinking back, I don't think I've laughed since I got here. I've smiled, but I haven't laughed. I guess I just never realized it.

"This is great! Just wait until Skye hears about this!"

Almost as if summoned by the call of her name, Skye came rushing into the room, Cloud in her arms and a huge grin on her face.

"Matt! Matt! He spoke! Cloud said his first word!" 

Cloud was clapping happily in her arms and giggling. "Ma! Ma!"

Dear God, that was just too cute.

Matt just laughed. "I guess this is a day for firsts, then! Cassie laughed just a little before you came in."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm glad you're happy now," she said with a smile before turning to Matt. "And if you're just going to call her Cassie all the time, why didn't you make _that_ her name?"

"Because it gives her the _option_ of having it be her nickname," he defended. "Trust me, it can get frustrating when what most people assume is your nickname is actually your name. My poor sister had to live with that for years, and had the unfortunate luck of having the sort of shortened name that went terribly with a lot of the common last names in the area where we grew up. It bothered her to no end knowing that if she had the long version, it actually would sound kind of nice."

"...I suppose I can understand that. But, did you have to choose such a strange name?"

"Castalia is a fine name," he said with a pout.

"You named her after a character in a Nibel fairy tale."

"It was a neat story. Besides, the name's different, but not so much that it would be considered strange. That's the best kind."

"I'm sensing some name envy here."

"Yea, well...we can't _all_ have cool names like Skye or Cloud- oh hey! Ha, I see what you did there."

Skye just shook her head with a smile.

I watched them continue to talk (I ended up missing class) and gave a smile of my own. I missed my family so much that it felt like my heart was tearing in two at times, but...looking at the four of us together...If one didn't know any better, it was like we were a family of our own. I still felt out of place here, but I knew that if I didn't make some sort of bonds, I would probably go crazy. I liked my solitude, but I also liked knowing that someone was there for me. Human nature to want company and all that, I guess.

I was just nervous about what that meant for the future. If I let myself get close to them...would I want to let them go when the time came?

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~1 year after arrival**

It had been one year since I arrived here. _One_. Thinking about it made my heart ache. How was my mother handling my disappearance?

"Da, did the new book come yet?"

I ignored the pang of guilt that went through me as Matt answered. I never really knew my dad on Earth- he'd died in a car accident when I was five -but there had been videos with him in them, and my mom made sure to tell me lots of stories. He was a kind, honest man who was always laughing or smiling, but he also had a good head on his shoulders, worked hard, and knew just when to be serious. My mom said he was a real man.

I remembered I was really happy when I was with him.

That was part of the reason I was guilty, but him dying when I was young had, in a strange way, made it a little easier to accept Matt. He'd seemed so lonely when we first met, and I had slowly seen that go away the longer we stayed in Nibelheim. One day, when he'd been going through one of his bad days, I pushed my discomfort aside and told him he was a good dad. He'd been ecstatic. After that, I didn't have the heart to stop calling him that. I know my real dad wouldn't have minded, but it still felt strange. I told myself that I would get used to it. Matt was a good man, and I had forced him here. It was the least I could do.

Skye, however, was a different matter entirely.

With my dad gone, it was evident that I would grow close to my mom, especially since she never got together with another man. She was the one who put up with me when I was angry, comforted me when I was sad, gave me guidance even when I didn't really want to hear it and so much more. She went through so much to make sure my brother, sister, and I grew up happy and loved. She became my pillar, and I loved her with all of my heart. So, no matter how much Skye had told me that she and Matt had come to an agreement, and that she was okay with me calling her Mom, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. She wasn't my mom, and I wasn't sure she would ever come close.

That was the other reason why I felt guilty.

I could tell that it made her sad. Cloud had no problem saying Ma and Da (the accents in Nibelheim took some getting used to), but I only used Da. If I had been anyone else, someone who didn't have memories of a mother they loved, I'm sure I wouldn't have had a problem with it. She was definitely a good mother...just not _mine_.

I was going in circles now.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~2 years after arrival**

I was now seven years old again.

"Play?"

I blinked and looked up from the book I was reading to see Cloud standing there with a smile on his face and a ball in his hands. I'd finished with the necessary schooling Nibelheim required about a month ago, but that didn't mean I was going to pass up the opportunity to learn all that I could. Even if I never left, it was still good to know things, especially since Gaia was so different from Earth (my sister would be laughing right now, I'm sure. I was hardly a bookworm in my old life). I'd gotten more than one concerned look from Matt and Skye, and if I were in their place, I would be worried too. So, I did my best to still act like a kid.

"Okay."

Besides, who could say no to the adorable sight that was a three-year-old Cloud?

I'd gotten used to him being so young, for the most part, but there were still times that I couldn't help staring in disbelief. He was so _different_ from the future Cloud- all smiles, sunshine, and pretty rainbows as opposed to the serious angst fest he'd become. True, he was a little kid right now, but it was still weird. Wasn't he supposed to be this loner kid that actively avoided anyone but Tifa? Had I changed his character somehow just by being here?

I hoped not. I _really_ doubted Cloud could beat Sephiroth with fluffiness.

Still, I had to admit it was kind of nice. I was the youngest child in my last life, and while my mother never played favorites, a child tends to see things that aren't really there. So, my brother and sister constantly got mad at me because they believed I was the favorite when it was more because I didn't cause as much trouble, so she had less to yell at me about. The three of us did eventually learn to get along once we'd grown up a bit, but by then our past issues kept us from being fully tight-knit. Now, _I_ was the older one. I had the chance to form the sort of sibling relationship I had always wanted. It was a little selfish on my part, but it wasn't all for me. I also wanted to give Cloud a bit of happiness before it all went to hell. I think he, more than most, deserved something like that. 

_This_ , at least, was something I knew I could do.

"Sissy, play!"

"I'm going! I'm going!"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~3 years after arrival**

The transition between seven and eight brought the most changes, I think.

Since I was showing an active interest in learning even after finishing school, Matt went ahead and arranged for me to continue my education. Apparently, in towns that were out of the way like Nibelheim, there was an option to have material and courses sent by mail. The only catch was that you had to do _exceptionally_ well. After all, it cost money to do something like that, and the board of education- or whatever the equivalent was here -over in Junon did _not_ like wasting time and money on someone who wasn't going to take it seriously.

Ah, homework. The bane of my existence.

Besides that, I also began studying under Master Zangan. No, it wasn't because I'd randomly changed my mind and decided to join ShinRa or some stupid crap like that. It had been a complete accident. Some of the local kids had been picking on Cloud, and I'd gotten so upset that I'd punched one of them in the face.

The kid was a year younger than me, but I regret _nothing_.

Unfortunately, not a lot of people were too happy about that. They'd argued on what to do with me before Zangan stepped in and said he'd teach me to "reign in my anger." Maybe not those exact words, but I remember he'd said something that reminded me of old cliché martial arts movies. All in all, it was more of a punishment than a positive thing. He was _strict_ \- and a slave driver to boot.

I supposed it would keep me in shape, at least.

The last notable change had come out of left field. Seriously. Nibelheim only had one handyman- a man by the name of Cole. He was in charge of repairing buildings if they got damaged and that sort of thing. However, it was a well-known fact that he'd always wanted to open up a shop. Not just any shop, mind you, but a _one-stop-shop_. That meant that he would have to sell everything from materia, to potions, to weapons, and so on. 

Being the handyman he was- and apparently a student at some special school way back when -he knew he had the weapons and armor covered. He knew where to buy the more general items, so that was fine with him too. The only thing that stopped him was items like potions. The finished products were expensive, but the materials themselves were much cheaper, so he had always put his plan to the side, telling himself that he would find a way to get them or find someone that could make them.

Then I'd come along.

To be honest, I had had no idea that he'd kept track of my progress when he first learned of the "little prodigy," or of the increasing discussions between him and Mayor Lockheart (and later him, Mayor Lockheart, and Matt) once I'd finished. It turned out that, with my "smarts," I was a prime candidate to learn the fine art of potion making...or was it item creation? Synthesis? Alchemy? Well, whatever it was, it needed a person with a certain mindset. I wasn't sure I _had_ that mindset, but Cole sure seemed to think so.

So, about four months after I began my mail in education, Matt finally told me about Cole, and what he wanted from me. He also said that it was fine to refuse; I was young (ha!) and should think about it carefully since it took a lot of hard work, study, and dedication. I had to admit that I balked a bit at the thought. I was lazy as hell, which explained why I hated doing homework, and it did not sound like it would be a fun time for me if I agreed. I already had daily torture from Zangan and was finally getting some material that challenged me (with the non-Earth subjects), so did I _really_ want even more stress added on top of that?

Then I thought about it some more and figured I was crazy.

There were no potions on Earth. No phoenix downs or maiden's kisses. How cool would it be to learn how to _make_ these things? And I was thinking about _not_ taking this chance? Cole already agreed to foot the bill for the extra stuff, and that all Matt had to do was send a letter to Junon explaining the situation and what he wanted, so really, I was all set. Accepting the offer might have also been out of some remaining desire of wanting to be a nurse back on Earth (I know, kind of contradictory of my lazy nature, but when I really wanted something I _went_ for it), but at that point, I think I was thinking more about how interesting it was going to be. 

_I am Snape, the Potions Master._

Ah, Potter Puppet Pals. Always good for a giggle...Damn, now I missed the internet again.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~4 years after arrival**

I stared at her. She stared back.

This had been going on for a while, but in my defense, it was a little hard to believe what I was seeing after being on Gaia for four years now.

"Puppy!"

I couldn't help but snort. "Yeah, Cloud, it's a puppy."

Not just _any_ puppy, though. _My_ puppy.

How did I know it was her if she was a puppy again (seriously, was that a _requirement_ to come here)? She had the same coloring and the same scar on her back right leg from where she'd gotten surgery. It was strange that _that_ carried over, considering she was an adult when she got it, but I guess it was to make it easier to recognize her. 

It also helped that when I picked her up, I noticed she had a letter tied around her neck that said: 

_They know where you are and wish you the best. Your mother also wants you to know that no matter what, she'll always love you._

_Good luck,_

_Minerva._

Immediately, my heart ached and tears flooded my eyes. It was nice to know that my family knew that I wasn't dead, but it _hurt_ to have this brought up again. Was it supposed to give me closure? It sure didn't feel like it right now, especially when I noticed the photograph. My mother, my brother, and my sister, together and smiling even though I could see the sadness in their eyes. It seemed so _final_ \- like there was no chance of ever going back to the life I'd known. Maybe...that's what Minerva meant to tell me by sending me this...

Not that it made it hurt any less. In fact, it made it hurt even more.

Minerva had something to do with me being here, that much I now knew. The question now was what the hell did she _want_ from me? I wasn't a fighter or some genius prodigy that had happened to play the game so much that they knew every little detail, I was just a regular person with the basic knowledge that any fan would have. So, what was I supposed to do? What could _I_ do that someone else couldn't? Why choose _me_?

"Sissy?"

I jerked out of my thoughts and noticed Cloud looking at me, his eyes wide in concern, and smiled slightly. He really was a sweet kid. 

"Let's go home, Chicky."

He hesitated for a moment, but, seeing that I seemed to be okay, finally nodded and smiled back. "Can we keep him?"

"Her," I corrected, "and we'll have to ask Da and...Ma."

She wasn't my mother, and a part of me would always know that...but I was willing to let her try now.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~5 years after arrival**

The war with Wutai started this year, and there were already rumors of three SOLDIERs who were starting to shine above the others: Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis. The paper said they were fifteen years old, reminding me of just how sick ShinRa was again. 

Unfortunately, it also had the added side effect of making Cloud more adventurous

I didn't know if it was because he was starting to get into that "I must join SOLDIER" mindset, or because didn't feel so shy with me there, but he wasn't as timid or secluded as I thought he'd be. The theory that I was changing his personality somehow came to mind again, but I quickly pushed it aside.

"Cloud? Cloud, where are you?!"

I'd been watching him play hide and seek with the other kids from the water tower, which was how I'd noticed him running _out of town_. After almost falling down the ladder in my haste to get down, I'd gone home, told Skye, and ran out before she could stop me from looking for him. I know I was just a kid in their eyes, and after spending so long in a weird world in a little body, I kind of felt like it, but Cloud was family now- my _little brother_. I couldn't stand by and do nothing. 

This did not bode well for my stay away from the psychotic people plan.

"Cloud! Come on, this isn't funny!"

To my growing horror, what do I come across but the infamous ShinRa manor. I'd hardly given thought to the place since my arrival, and I figured I had good reason. It was creepy, full of monsters, and the less anyone had to do with it, the better. 

...and Cloud was going _in_.

I swear my heart just about stopped, but it quickly started up again at double speed. Knowing what I had to do, but scared out of my wits because of it, I followed. If anything happened to him, it would be my fault, and I couldn't live with myself if he got hurt. I just hoped what little training I had would be enough to keep him safe.

As I found out, it was nowhere _near_ enough to do any good.

Some weird, propeller-like flower monsters- _dorky faces_ , and idle part of my mind supplied -had blocked off the entrance when I stepped in, and they were about to surround Cloud, so I rushed forward, knocked one out of the way (which is when I found out I didn't hurt them _at all_ ), grabbed his hand, and took off. Now we were running for our lives, I had no idea what to do, and Cloud was bawling. I didn't blame him, I felt like crying myself.

This was much worse than any horror movie.

Everywhere we went, there were monsters, making the next ten minutes nothing but a blur. All I could remember was the sheer _terror_ I felt and the pounding of my feet and heart as we ran. I was no match for them, Cloud was no match for them, and I had no clue if or when help was going to arrive.

I honestly thought we were going to die.

Then, through a sheer stroke of luck (or was it Minerva?), one of the monsters crashed into the wall of the room we were in, revealing a hidden passage. My frantic mind immediately remembered just _who_ was residing in the manor, and, in a desperate gamble, I made my way down. 

_'I know we need a key, but please let Vincent be able to open the coffin from the inside...'_

It was our last chance. If it didn't work...

It seemed Minerva really _was_ looking out for us, though. While more monsters popped up, we were able to avoid them long enough for us to find the room full of coffins. Ignoring just how creepy the sight was, I pushed Cloud in and shut the door behind us. It wouldn't hold for long, so I had to figure out where Vincent was and fast.

Of course, it would help if Cloud hadn't thought we were safe and started clinging to me.

"Cloud, let go! We need to find-"

A large boom echoed through the room, making me jump and Cloud scream. Both of us looked over at the door just in time to see something ram into it from the other side. By the third one, Cloud had added constant screams to his crying, tightening his hold so much that I knew I wouldn't be able to find Vincent in time. So, I just held him close, watching the door bend and groan with each hit until it finally broke open. I couldn't quite stop my own scream when I saw those monsters heading toward us, but I made sure to turn around so Cloud was behind me. I didn't want the last thing he saw to be those things.

I froze when I heard the monsters screech in pain.

Hardly daring to believe it, I slowly opened my eyes and peeked to the side. 

An open coffin...

I started crying when Vincent kneeled down beside us and asked if we were okay.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~6 years after arrival**

I don't really know why, but Vincent didn't go back to sleep.

Instead, after taking us to safety, he just...kind of hung around the manor. Once I found that out, I really wanted to thank him for saving us- more than just the verbal thanks I'd given him. So, one day, I packed some of Ma's cooking and went to visit him. I was sure I'd be safe this time, since I'd noticed the monster population go down a bit and knew he was behind it, but I still made sure to grab the materia bangle Cole had given me and one of my first successful potions.

After that experience, I had put a lot more study into _using_ materia, as opposed to just reading about them.

Anyway, that started up the _weirdest_ friendship I'd ever had. At least, I _thought_ it was a friendship...It's kind of hard to tell with Vincent. I brought him food, he would try to convince me to leave him alone before giving up and letting me hang out a bit, then he'd take me home. I felt a little bad for bothering him after he saved us, but I also kind of didn't want to leave him alone. Now that he was awake, he was probably wallowing in guilt or something, like he did in the games. If I was going to give Cloud a little happiness before he left, then I didn't see the harm in trying to do the same for Vincent.

...Plus, there was still a bit of a fan girl in me when it came to him. He was just so _cool_. 

Anyway, it eventually got to the point that he stopped trying to convince me. Although, there was that one time I asked how in the world he managed to not eat, drink, or use the restroom while he was sleeping in the coffin. He took me home _immediately_...What? It was an honest question! It's always assumed it's because of the experiments, but I wanted to know for sure!

Needless to say, I learned to not ask those kinds of questions, since they were a sure way to cut my visits short. Instead, I just quietly wandered around, exploring the manor and cleaning it up a bit as a favor to him. It wasn't nice living in a dirty house, after all. I will admit that I got a bit curious when I got to the study, though. The contents of those books had made Sephiroth go insane...just what was written in them? What sorts of things had Hojo spewed out to make a man who _hated_ him believe his words? I wasn't sure I wanted to know, so I left them alone.

I don't think Vincent would have let me read them anyway.

So now, here I was, one year after meeting him, reading one of my own books on a couch in the manor. I didn't have much else to do, really. Today was my day off from helping out in Cole's shop (which was doing surprisingly well, all things considered- I blamed the war), Cloud was in school, and Da had taken Ma on a day trip to Cosmo Canyon (I was still waiting for them to stop denying their growing interest in one another). All in all, a pretty normal day in Nibelheim.

"What are you reading?"

Cue the record scratch.

I looked up at Vincent in surprise. He wasn't one to start conversation. In fact, he wasn't for conversation at all. He usually just made the occasional sound of agreement or disagreement to the things I said to him. "H-Huh?"

I couldn't tell if he was smirking in amusement under that cape of his, but something was definitely different. It was kind of scary after hanging around stoic, silent Vincent for a year. "Your book. What is it?"

"O-Oh...It's a book on the effects of natural and reactor mako on the environment. Da got it for me on his last trip to Cosmo Canyon."

"...Aren't you a little young for that?"

I couldn't help but snort a bit. "I finished the required schooling for Nibelheim three years ago, and I'm _almost_ done with the Junon standards. The only thing I would have left, if I decided to continue my education, would be if I went to the university over there and picked a major. But, seeing as Junon University focuses mostly on preparing people to work for ShinRa, I'd rather leave it as is."

I gave myself an awesomeness point for making Vincent's brows raise in surprise, but at my mention of ShinRa, he was back to his strangely talkative self. "You don't like ShinRa?"

I hesitated. It wouldn't be strange to tell give him a few of my thoughts on the company, right? If he was talking, it was good to encourage it. That way, he wouldn't be such a prick when Cloud asked for his help...Still, I had kept most thoughts about ShinRa locked up tight in my mind. It was going to be uncomfortable talking about them now, especially to a man that had no idea how much I knew.

Well, honesty was the best policy, right? Everything fell apart in the game because of half truths and lies, so I should avoid that.

"ShinRa...scares me. What kind of company sends out teen soldiers to war? Or has them join the Turks- whose reputation is so bad that it even reaches other continents? It all seems a bit..." I sighed. "I dunno, _strange_ , I guess. And, after reading some of this book on what mako does, it's creepy to think that they _inject_ it into people. I just have a bad feeling about that place, you know?"

Vincent was quiet for a long time after that. Finally, he sighed quietly. "Yes...I know." To my growing shock, he placed his non clawed hand on my head for a moment before walking off. "You are a smart girl, Castalia...More so than a lot of people."

I gaped. Did he just-...?

I barely held back the urge to pump my arm in victory. Oh, hell yeah! I just got a compliment from _Vincent Valentine_! My life was now complete.

Wait, no it wasn't. I still needed one more thing.

"Hey, Vincent...?"

He turned to look at me, and I couldn't help but smile sheepishly at what I was about to ask. "Do you think you could teach me how to do that super silent walk you always do?"

_I will be the greatest ninja potions master of all time._

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~7 years after arrival**

I really wanted to learn how to do Young Justice Robin's cackle laugh.

After lots of practice, I'd finally gotten the ninja walk down. Of course, it was technically more accurate to call it a Turk walk, considering who'd taught me, but those were unimportant details. What _was_ important was that, after the walk, Vincent went ahead and taught me the rest of the famous bat moves.

It's funny because people called him a vampire.

Now, I was creeping around the mansion with a _really_ strong urge to laugh. I could tell Vincent could tell too, since he was shaking his head in that way that told me he was kind of amused but not really. Yeah, he didn't make sense sometimes.

Sorry, I'm just really happy right now...and I'm Batman.

"You're going to fall."

I sighed, coming down from my giddiness because I knew he was right. I really didn't want to push my luck on these old rafters by breaking out into giggles. Funny though the image was, it would end right quick if I fell. So, I focused on other things, like how human limitations didn't seem to exist here.

I never would have been able to pull this off on Earth.

I could jump from the ground to the ceiling easily now, and still manage to land so silently that it was mind boggling. I could keep my feet from making noise when I ran. I could blend into the shadows. I think at this point, I was good enough that only people who were really aware of their surroundings, like Vincent, would be able to spot me. It was an amazing feeling- mostly since I hadn't thought I'd be able to do it.

A year of one on one teaching with one of the best Turks ever helped a lot.

Content to push that thought to the side for now, I dropped back down to the floor and looked up at Vincent with a smile. He'd loosened up a bit around me now, which made me really happy. I'd kind of missed having older people to talk to, and Vincent hadn't treated me like a kid (at least in conversation) since he found out how far I was in my education. I was grateful for it. It was refreshing.

"Can I wear your coat next time?"

Hey, I didn't say I was an adult _all_ the time.

"Go home, Castalia."

Damn. Oh well, it had been wishful thinking the first time I'd dared to ask, and by now, it was just routine. If he ever _did_ agree to it, I was pretty sure I'd die of shock.

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Vincent."

This was something else I was proud of. I'd gotten good enough with my fire materia that Vincent let me make my own way home. He still took care of the dorky faces (offensive magic didn't really work on them) and the other monsters that occasionally popped up in the manor, but everything outside was fine. I still wasn't a fighter, but at least now I could take care of myself a little better. I didn't want to be as scared as I'd been in the incident ever again.

Cloud had other plans.

He'd stayed away from the manor after Vincent saved us, but after that paralyzing fear had finally gone completely, he was out playing again. Today, his spot of choice was the water tower.

"Cassie, look how high I am!"

I bit my lip as he ran around the small walkway. "Cloud, stop that!"

" _You_ come up here all the time!"

"But _I_ don't run when I'm there! Seriously, you're going to fall!"

The irony of my earlier conversation with Vincent was not lost on me. _Thanks_ , Karma.

"No, I'm not!"

Childish arrogance...how I hated it.

"What happened to the cute little chocobo head that used to follow me around?" I groaned.

Maybe, I was being paranoid. Lots of kids played in high places and never got hurt. Plus, we were mountain kids. We were used to that sort of thing...right?

Then why did I have the feeling something bad was about to happen?

When I heard the crack, I cursed myself for jinxing it. I looked up, and for a split second, everything was in slow motion. The board breaking under Cloud's feet, the way his face went from happy to shocked, the moment where he was weightless in the air...

_**THUD** _

It was the worst sound I'd ever heard.

"CLOUD!!"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

There ends the summary of the years. I hope it wasn't too rushed.

So, I figured I'd clarify a few things as far as ages go. Castalia is five at the beginning of the chapter, and twelve at the end. Little Cloud is one at the beginning, and eight at the end. Four years apart. There were no official ages for these characters when I first started writing this, so I'd set Tifa as being two years younger than Cloud. It has since been stated that she's only a year younger, but I've decided to keep it as it is.

As for the others...

The three Firsts are five years older than Cass, making them ten to seventeen, respectively, as the chapter goes on. Zack is two years _younger_ than her, putting him at three to ten. Tseng, if I decide to bring him in, is the same age as the Firsts. Rude is a year younger than Tseng, and Reno/Elena are the same age as Cass.

That aside, the whole thing with Skye and Matt was completely unintentional. It just happened. I suppose it's possible, considering they'd been living in the same place for seven years, and they both supported each other, but still...Sorry, Cloud.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. See you!


	4. Prelude: The Unknown Addition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter 3. Sorry it took so long to post it. Also, for those of you who don't keep up with this story on FF.Net, I have a Tumblr account where I've put some Horizons stuff up. Feel free to check it out. The name is silverforestpen7.
> 
> Anyway, please read on and I hope you enjoy.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

** The Unknown Addition**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

_"_ _Who are you?"_

_My name is Minerva. You know me best as the Lifestream, or the Planet."_

_The Planet? What about Aerith?"_

_Minerva smiled, and he felt warmth flood through him. It was a fantastic feeling. "In the past, I have asked her to speak on my behalf in order to give you a familiar face. This time, I wish to speak to you myself."_

_"About what?"_

_"First, dear child, I wish to thank you. If not for you, I would have fallen to the Calamity long ago."_

_He could hear voices, but they were muddled._

_His eyes widened for a moment before he looked away. "I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without help."_

_"The fact that you so readily admit that only further proves your character."_

_"...You said 'first,' Ma'am?"_

_She laughed softly. "So polite...Yes, there is something else I wished to discuss with you."_

_"What is it?"_

He felt something soft beneath him...A bed? And what was that smell?

_"If given the opportunity, would you go back?"_

_"Go...back?"_

_"To the time before these events began."_

_"...Do you want me to go back?"_

He felt that warmth again when she shook her head and cupped his cheeks with a smile. "I only wish for you to be happy. You, who have suffered so much on my behalf, I ask because I want to give you a chance at a better life."

It was so familiar...like he'd come across it before.

_"You're serious?"_

_"But of course."_

_"...What would that mean for me?"_

_"I would send you back to a time in your youth. From there, your choices are your own. Be warned, however, that, while those you love will have their lives restored, so will those whom you have fought against."_

_"You said you wanted me to have a chance of a better life...Does that mean you would help me?"_

_"As much as I am able."_

It was a comforting smell. It reminded him of cold nights and warm arms.

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Do you think I would not have removed the Calamity myself had I the ability to do so? I am strong, yes, but I have limited influence on those in the mortal plane once they are born."_

_"Then...how is it that you can send me back?"_

_"You are in the Lifestream now, are you not?"_

_"Oh...right."_

_"Do not feel forced to go. Gaia is at peace, and if you wish to remain, then you are more than welcome."_

It reminded him of home.

_"I-...I'd like to try it."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"No. But...if there's even a little chance at making things better for everyone...I'd like to try. I want to help them."_

_Minerva beamed. "Lovely child, your heart rings true. Such selflessness." She kneeled down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Sleep now, Cloud. When you wake, you will find yourself in your new life."_

_He felt his eyelids grow heavy. "T-...Thank you."_

_"Just do your best. I have already made some changes that I think will help...Good luck."_

Cloud groaned, awareness slowly making him aware of the fact that he was in pain.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoO**

My breath hitched as I tried to control my tears.

Cloud had been out of it for a day now, and all I'd been able to think about was how it was all my fault. This wasn't supposed to happen- at least, I was mostly sure that it wasn't. The only sort of fall that I could remember him going through was when he and Tifa were on the bridge, and that hadn't happened yet.

"Come on, Cloud. Wake _up_..."

It was one thing when he had been nothing but a little sprite in a virtual world, but I'd seen Cloud _grow_. I'd talked to him and played with him. I'd helped him with his homework and brought him treats from the store. I knew he liked looking at pictures of planes and motorcycles, and that he always tried to sneak his vegetables under the table for Lilo to eat. He didn't like the color maroon. He had a weird fascination with wolves even at this age. He loved _singing_ , even if it was just a silly song.

I choked back another sob. 

He was _real_ to me now. He wasn't just some character anymore. He was one of the few people I had in this life.

"Oh, how in the world am I supposed to let you go to ShinRa _now_?" I moaned quietly with my head in my hands. "They'll tear you apart, and I don't _want_ that."

I felt bad for Angeal, Genesis, and even Sephiroth. Zack had been one of my favorite characters. The Turks were the bad guys who eventually weren't all that bad. AVALANCHE and all those other people were good too...but that was what I had felt _before_ I'd arrived on Gaia. Those feelings, while still there, had gotten overshadowed by my closeness to Cloud. I didn't care so much about them anymore. I wanted to keep Cloud safe even if it meant that the others wouldn't have their hero. It was a horrible thing to admit, but it was true. Was it wrong to feel that? Was I selfish because I was willing to let _hundreds_ of people suffer just to keep _one_ person out of danger?

"What a mess," I whispered with a sad laugh. "The easy choice or the right one...it's not as black and white as people think it is, huh?"

I wondered if Zack ever had these kinds of thoughts while on the run from ShinRa...

A groan snapped me out of my thoughts, and I felt my heart leap up to my throat when Cloud began to stir. When those too blue eyes fluttered open, I practically tackled him in a hug before I even realized what I was doing.

"Y-You're awake! Oh, you're _awake_!" Now I was crying, but screw that, I was so _happy_. "Do you know how _worried_ I've been?! How worried _Ma and Da_ have been?! You're never going anywhere _near_ the water tower ever again, do you hear me?!"

When he didn't respond, it was then that I noticed how tense he'd gotten. A bit of dread starting sinking into my gut when I realized he might not be as okay as I'd thought. Pulling away anxiously, I felt the dread turn into confusion and fear when I noticed him staring at me with a frown. Cloud _didn't_ frown. It was _wrong_.

"C-Cloud?"

"Who are you?"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

The girl stumbled back with wide eyes, looking for all the world like she'd just been punched in the stomach. To her credit, she recovered a moment later and gave him a shaky smile.

"Come on, Chicky, it's _me_. Castalia...You _know_ me..."

His frown deepened slightly at the name. "Don't call me that."

Something deep inside him cried a bit at the way something in the girl's eyes seemed to break, and his confusion at that only got worse at the feeling that he'd just made a _terrible_ mistake. It didn't help that she seemed to be on the brink of tears. He might not know her, but Cloud never liked seeing anyone cry.

"Hey-"

She jerked back from his outstretched arm, shook her head and ran out the door. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose when she was gone. What the hell was going _on_?

"Cloud?"

Thoughts of the girl were pushed aside as he froze at the voice. It was a voice that had almost disappeared from his mind, replaced by Jenova's cruel hisses. A voice that brought tears of his own to his eyes.

"...Ma?"

When he saw her step through the door, there was a moment where he couldn't breathe. He had spent countless nights trying to remember anything he could about her- her face, her laugh, her smile...Looking at her now, he knew there was no way he could mistake who she was. Their resemblance was too strong.

"Oh, Cloud," she sighed, before rushing over and bringing him into her arms, "I was so worried."

His throat felt tight as he hugged her back. " _Ma_."

It was like a dream. He was with his _mother_ again. He was _holding_ her and _talking_ to her. She was _alive_.

_'I'm sorry...I'm so sorry I couldn't save you, Ma.'_

"There, there, my little Cloud," she soothed while running a gentle hand through his hair and wiping away the tears he hadn't realized were falling. "It's okay. You're going to be just fine."

Being in her arms again...the feeling it gave him...he couldn't help but believe her.

"Cloud?"

He froze at the new voice- the new _male_ voice. Looking out from his mother's embrace, he saw a man standing there with a concerned expression. Immediately, he frowned again. Here was someone _else_ he didn't know. Light brown hair, green eyes, an average build, and slightly tanned skin...He tried searching his memory for any hint of him but still came up with nothing. Just like what happened with the girl.

The man was now frowning a bit himself. "You okay, sport?"

What _was_ it with the nicknames? He'd had enough of that in the future. "Don't call me that."

The man stared at him a moment before something seemed to click. His eyes widened and he stepped closer, flinching a bit when Cloud tensed up and glared.

"Cloud!"

He jerked and looked up at his mother in shock. Why was she scolding him? This man wasn't supposed to be here, and he was pretty sure he _hadn't_ been there in the past...So, why was his mother acting like this wasn't strange at all?

The man just sighed. "It's fine, Skye. I-...I don't think he remembers me, that's all."

Skye...That's right, his mother's name was Skye.

She looked at him in surprise, her own eyes now just as wide as her hold tightened. "But-...But he remembers _me_ ," she protested. "Surely, he remembers you too."

So his mother _knew_ this man...and from the sounds of it, he was supposed to know him too. Before he could think much on the strange situation he now found himself in, the man shook his head with a sad smile and turned to him.

"Do you know who I am?"

Cloud didn't hesitate. "No."

His mother gasped, one of her hands shooting up to cover her mouth as her eyes teared up. The man just nodded, a grim, disappointed look flashing in his eyes for a moment before sadness took place again. Once again, Cloud felt like he'd messed something up.

"At least now I know what got Cassie all worked up," he sighed.

"You're not-! He didn't-!" His mother looked down at him. "You didn't forget her too, did you?!" 

How could he forget someone he never knew to begin with? It seemed his silence was all the answer they needed, however.

"Matt-"

"She'll come home eventually," he interrupted gently. "You know she will. Bringing her back right now won't help."

"But-"

"If she's not back by nine, I'll go look for her. Promise. In the meantime, why don't you fill Cloud in? I'm sure he must be confused, and me being here probably isn't making it easier."

Confused was an understatement, Cloud thought, but the man- Matt -was right in saying he'd be more comfortable being alone with his mother.

"...Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine."

His voice said the opposite. His mother hesitated, probably hearing it too, but eventually nodded. "We'll be down when I'm done explaining."

The sad smile was back now. "Take your time."

He didn't slam the door behind him, but it seemed to echo loudly in the silent room just the same.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Vincent was worried.

He would admit it to no one but himself, but he had grown fond of the young girl who visited almost every day. At first, he had remained awake in order to make sure that neither she nor her brother ventured back into the manor again, but it was during that time that the girl came back with food and another thanks for saving their lives. He accepted it well enough- it had been a while since he'd had any sort of food and it was quite good -but he had thought it was a one-time thing. When she came back the next day, and the day after that, he'd been, admittedly, frustrated. 

So long as she continued to return, he could not return to his self-imposed punishment. Not if he wanted her to remain out of danger. So, he had tried to convince her to leave him alone. When that hadn't worked, he had let her be, keeping an eye on her as she explored, but never giving more than a few noncommittal sounds when she spoke to him, all the while thinking she would eventually lose interest.

One year later, as he watched her read on a vastly cleaner couch in one of the manor's sitting rooms, he realized that she _wasn't going to leave_.

He hadn't really known what to think then. Had he come to the realization when she'd first started visiting, he would have been angry. However, a year could do a lot to a person's opinions without them noticing, even his. Instead of anger, he found that he was _curious_. Why did she continue to return? It couldn't have been because of _him_. He'd made an effort to keep her at a distance. Yet...she always sought him out the moment she arrived...Maybe, it really was because she wanted to keep him company.

A part of him had softened at that.

It had been a long time since anyone had treated him with genuine kindness. The last had been Lucrecia, and even then, there had always been that barrier created by their own hesitation to act on their feelings- a barrier that only grew after their argument and her marriage to Hojo. Here, there was no barrier. Here, there was just a girl who brought him food and who understood that she had no business prying into things in the manor (the books in the study were a prime example- he had noticed her curiosity around them). However, she still took him into consideration by cleaning it up, and would start talking to him if the silence dragged on for too long, but never to the point where it grew annoying. It was...nice.

So, he decided to talk to her.

He couldn't deny that he'd been amused at her shock, but he also couldn't deny that he'd been surprised at her intelligence. That she was already at the level of most adults was impressive, and it definitely explained some of the books he'd seen her read. She was also surprisingly insightful. She could tell that there was something wrong with ShinRa, even if she wasn't sure what it was, just by putting together a few facts that most people overlooked. She was still a child, however, as evidenced by her request for him to teach her his "super silent walk thing."

He smiled a bit at the memory, but it quickly faded as his concern returned.

After spending another year with her, he knew Castalia was not the type to not show up without reason. Any other time that something came up, she always let him know beforehand. Now, it was long past her usual arrival time, and there was still no word from her. He couldn't help feeling that something was _wrong_.

Just as he was contemplating going out to check up on her, the door burst open, and two small arms immediately latched around him. After a moment of initial shock, he realized that it was _Castalia_ who had rushed in, and that she was _crying_.

A deep frown settled onto his face. "What happened?"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

It took a few moments for Vincent's question to register in my mind, but when it did, everything came crashing down on me again.

He didn't remember. 

If I thought the feeling of Cloud being injured was terrible, then this felt a hundred times _worse_. All of those movies and shows that had someone with amnesia...it had seemed like something distant. Something that wouldn't happen to me. Living through it now, I realized that they could never truly demonstrate the type of pain it brought. How it felt to have someone you loved look at you like you were _nothing_ to them...To know that everything you went through- the happy times, the sad and angry ones, _everything_ -was gone. They were a blank slate, while the ones left behind had to deal with the loss- had to live with seeing the face of someone they cared for, knowing it wasn't _them_ anymore...

"Castalia?"

"H-He-...Cloud had an ac-accident," I managed to choke out. "When he woke-...W-When he woke up..." I clenched my eyes shut and couldn't stop the sob that escaped me. "He didn't know who I _was_!"

Was this because he'd been too different from the Cloud he was supposed to be? Was Minerva resetting his personality so that there was no chance he _wouldn't_ join SOLDIER...? I refused to believe that. Why would she send me here...let me get close to these people...

...if she was just going to take it all away?

"Why...? Why did this happen...?"

Vincent didn't answer. Honestly, I don't know if I would have preferred it if he had.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Cloud sighed as he watched his mother leave the room, wondering just what Minerva was thinking. The Goddess had told him she made some changes, but _this_? 

How was he supposed to deal with having a _family_? 

He might have been able to deal with it if it had just been his mother. He knew, more or less, how to act around her. In this new life, however, he had apparently grown up with a man he considered a _father_ , and a girl who was his _sister_.

Guilt flooded through him as he remembered their reactions to his "amnesia."

He had hurt them. 

He sighed again and buried his head in his hands as the realization hit him. He hadn't even been in his new life for a day, and already he was the cause of pain for two innocent people. Why hadn't Minerva _told_ him what was waiting for him when he woke up? At least then, he would have been a little more prepared!

_Prepared to act?_

He paused as this second thought hit him. Had Minerva told him he had more than just his mother this time, what would he have done? Would he have pretended to know them, even if he didn't, just to spare their feelings?...It sure sounded like something he would do. After all, he thought almost bitterly, he had pretended to be his best friend.

In the end, hadn't that hurt the people close to him too?

Tifa had always known, but she had gone along with it to protect him. Later though, she had confessed how much it had hurt to see him, but not really know him anymore. To have him remember almost nothing but the fact that they had been friends once. If their positions had been reversed, he didn't think he could handle it nearly as well. So, how must these people feel now that he couldn't even remember he knew them?

He shifted, starting a bit in surprise when he felt something bump against his side. Looking down, he noticed a plush little chocobo toy with blue button eyes. He picked it up, absently running his hand across the soft material with a small smile. Marlene would have loved something like this.

_"I know you wanted the model plane, but the store in Rocket Town was all out. So, I got you this cute little chocobo instead. Isn't it adorable? It looks just like you, Chicky."_

His breath hitched as the voice whispered across his mind. Chicky...Isn't that what the girl- Castalia, he reminded himself -called him? So, she had given this to him...but how had he known that? Had Minerva fused him with his past self somehow? Was it possible that those memories were inside of him now, waiting to be remembered? He gently placed the toy to the side and clenched his fists in determination. He was going to do his best to find out.

There must have been a reason for Minerva to do this, after all...Right?

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

I don't know how long I spent crying, but when I finally came back to my senses, I was surprised to find myself on Vincent's _lap_ , clinging tightly to his cloak. At some point, he had picked me up and carried me to a couch, offering me nothing but silent comfort as I cried myself out. 

If I wasn't feeling so _awful_ , I might have smiled. 

As it was, my throat hurt, I could feel how puffy my eyes were, and I was all shaky and weak. Doing my best to push this to the side, I rubbed the tears off of my face and looked up at Vincent.

"Sorry...for crying on you..."

He just sighed softly and stood. "I will take you home. It's getting late, and your parents will worry."

I stared up at him in shock, but adjusted my hold nonetheless. I had to keep myself from crying again in sheer gratitude. Vincent didn't have to be so kind to me, and really, I didn't think I'd done anything to deserve it. Yet here he was, taking me home after I'd done nothing but blubber on him for _hours_.

I smiled as I realized I was so _lucky_ to have a friend like him.

"Thank you..."

He didn't respond, but I think I felt his arms squeeze back a bit.

All too soon, we were standing outside the front door. Vincent set me down but made no move to leave as I stared at it blankly. Instead, he placed his hand on my head- a gesture he had only done once before. There were no words of reassurance. No promises that it was going to be okay. Maybe that's why I had gone to him...because I knew that there might be a chance Cloud never remembered, and I knew Vincent wouldn't offer that sort of false comfort.

"...I'll see you tomorrow."

His brand of comfort was different but no less effective. It was his kind that I needed right now, I think.

"Okay...Night, Vin."

"Goodnight...Tali."

I blinked, but he was gone by the time I turned around.

Tali, huh?...I could get used to that.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

FYI: Lilo the dog is named after Lilo from Lilo and Stitch.


	5. Prelude: Stumbling Along

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud tries to get used to some changes, Vincent and Castalia hang out and talk about a few things, and we get a peek into what's going on with a few people outside of Nibelheim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first posted this chapter on FF.Net, the Remake Ultimania was as of then unavailable, so the ages of the three Firsts were different (they used to be older). That has since been changed, so you get the updated version right off the bat. I'll give you a quick rundown of where we stand during chapter four:
> 
> It is Fall of the year 1995 ([ μ ] - εуλ 1995).
> 
> Vincent: 44  
> Matt: 31  
> Cole: 30  
> Skye: 28  
> Angeal/Genesis/Sephiroth: 15  
> Castalia: 12  
> Cloud: 9  
> Tifa: 8
> 
> I'll give a more detailed list with birthdays and the like in a later chapter. For now, please read on, and I hope you enjoy it.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Stumbling Along**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud was frustrated.

  
It had been a month since he'd woken up in his new life, but it felt like everything was conspiring against him. The morning following his arrival, Castalia had come to call on him for breakfast. He'd done his best to ignore the visible signs that she had been crying and nodded, although he still felt guilty for being the one to cause her sadness.

  
That thought was quickly pushed aside when he overshot his stride and fell flat on his face.

  
Dozens of possible explanations ran through his mind as he lay on the floor, but the best one was that he was still used to a bigger body. He would have to be careful about that, or his new family might think that he had something more severe than amnesia- the strange expression on Castalia's face right before she helped him up had only further cemented his resolve. Fortunately, military training helped in regulating his walk, so, while still awkward, there were no more incidents. _Unfortunately_ , there were still a multitude of obstacles that kept him from beginning his quest to make things better.

  
The first was school. He had completely forgotten about it, and if he had to be honest, he didn't care. Dedicating a large part of your life toward fighting an insane, alien-possessed man could do that he supposed. Education seemed like such a trivial thing in comparison. He could read, he could write, and he had no issues with numbers- he was set.

  
Ma and Matt, however, thought otherwise.

  
He loved his mother, and Matt seemed like a good man, but there was a limit to how many lectures on the importance of education he could take. It didn't help that Castalia turned out to be some sort of prodigy and had already finished her education. It only made the two adults even more adamant that he pay attention in class. As for the girl in question, she'd been strangely understanding to his plight. She always got a sort of amused, unusually nostalgic expression when she came across one of those lectures, but never got involved. The one time that Ma had asked her to, she had refused, saying it was his choice and trying to pressure him would only make it worse.

  
He would have thought she would be on their side, but that was something to think about at a later date.

  
Another thing that bothered him besides school was that he had less freedom to roam around. He could understand, seeing that he had been protective of both Denzel and Marlene, but it was frustrating having that sort of attention placed on you when, at least in mind, you were an independent adult. Suddenly, Denzel's more rebellious behavior in later years made a lot more sense, and he felt a pang of empathy.

  
The last, while not necessarily a bad thing, brought its own set of obstacles. The villagers were a lot nicer to him this time around. Cloud thought it might have had something to do with Castalia, who had inadvertently caused an increase in Nibelheim's income by working in Cole's shop. No one would ever replace Tifa (she was so young now!) as the town darling, but Castalia was a close second. Cloud _always_ heard how polite, intelligent, and kind she was. He didn't know how much of that was the gil talking, but it had definitely brought the Strife/Allen household (he'd learned of Matt's origins when the mayor had addressed the man by his last name) up in positive regard.

  
His new sister didn't seem to care much for it, though.

  
It was something he had noticed over the last few weeks. After her shift at the store, or on her days off, she usually took off somewhere. It was amazing that no one had noticed. He wanted nothing more than to follow her and find out (it was both a combination of curiosity and concern), but between school and the new attention of the town, he was finding it more than a little challenging to get away.

  
Once again, he questioned just what Minerva was thinking. How was he supposed to change anything like this?

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"You have been coming here a lot more."

  
Vincent watched as already tense shoulders stiffened even more at the statement. Castalia kept her eyes on the book in her hands for a few moments more before sighing and placing it to the side.

  
"It's been a rough month."

  
"How so?"

  
"The townsfolk have been a lot...nicer to me lately."

  
Vincent merely raised a brow, knowing she would understand his question. Sure enough, she continued.

  
"I wouldn't have a problem with it, normally. I mean, the townspeople were nice to me before, but now it feels like-...like it's not _genuine_ anymore, you know? It's like they're _expecting_ something by treating me kindly. I don't like it."

  
He sat down beside her as he thought it over. "It is possible they are reacting to the increase in money Nibelheim has seen through Cole's shop. It would not have opened had you not agreed to learn item synthesis."

  
She grimaced. "That makes it even _worse_. I didn't do those things just so they would like me. I did it because it was interesting. Now, they're all trying to invite me over for tea, or trying to grab my attention over something or other. Mrs. Graham has been the most persistent."

  
"Isn't she the woman whose son you punched for making fun of Cloud?"

  
"Yeah. I have no _idea_ what's gotten into her. I thought she hated me for that. Heck, she wouldn't even let me _look_ in the direction of her boys until recently- as if I was gonna corrupt them or something! Can you believe that?" I snickered a bit. "Although be fair, Ethan's adorable and so naive that with my luck I probably _would_ end up doing just that by accident, but Travis doesn't _need_ help."

  
He smiled, then almost chuckled as yet another suspicion came to him. "Hmm...How old are you now, Castalia?"

  
"Almost thirteen, you know th- What are you thinking, Vincent?"

  
"It is merely a guess, but another reason they could be treating you kindly is that you are nearing the age for courtship."

  
"Huh?... _Oh_..." Her face paled more and more with each second that went by. "They're trying to-...?! And want me to-...?! Oh, _hell_ no!"

  
"You would be an asset to any family you marry into."

  
She covered her ears with a squeal and shook her head rapidly. "No, no, no! I don't wanna hear it! It's so _wrong_!"

  
"Why? You do not wish to marry?"

  
"You're having fun with this, aren't you?" she asked with a flat look.

  
"Perhaps. Although, I am a bit curious about your adamant denial."

  
"First of all, I don't like any of them. They're all younger than me and have the maturity to match. Second, marriage should _never_ be about _assets_. That's like me wanting to marry Rufus Shinra because he's the son of a wealthy man with lots of power. It's just not done."

  
"A strange mindset for someone in a town like this."

  
"Yeah, well, I'm different."

  
He allowed himself a small smile. "True enough."

  
She sighed again and let herself fall supine on the couch. "You know, I'd never even considered that option, but now that you told me, it makes a scary amount of sense. What the heck am I going to do? Ma and Da would never pressure me into marriage, but who knows what the others in town would be willing to do."

  
"You could always leave."

  
"That's one option, I suppose. But, as much as I don't want to marry anyone in Nibelheim, I don't really want to leave it either. Besides," she smiled, "I'd be eaten alive. I may be able to hold my own on the way here, but I'm no match for some of the monsters out there."

  
That was true, he thought with some concern. He had been the one defeating most of the tougher monsters in and around the manor, but what would happen should either one of them ever decide to leave? What would happen to her then?

  
"Vincent? You okay?"

  
"Tali." It was strange how the shortened name was more indicative of serious topics than her full one, given that he now had her full attention. "Would you like to learn how to use a gun?"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
I stared. Did I hear him right? Was he actually _offering_ to teach me how to use a gun?

  
More importantly, did I _want_ to learn?

  
While both guns and materia could cause serious damage, my mind was much more hesitant about the gun. That was probably because guns had existed on Earth, and they were used maliciously more than anything. My cousin had _died_ from a gun just so they could rob him of ten dollars. It was so easy to _kill_ with them...I might have been a lot of things, but a murderer was not among them.

  
_'But, this is Vincent. He would never use a gun for a bad reason.'_

  
"If you do not wish to learn, that is fine."

  
"Huh? Oh, no, it's not that- well, not entirely. I just don't know why you would offer."

  
"You have brought up a good point in regards to your fighting ability. Should you or I ever choose to leave, I wish for you to know how to defend yourself."

  
So that was it. He was just worried. It made me feel a little better about the prospect, but I still found myself hesitating. Sure, I could tell myself that I would only use it on a monster, but what if I was forced to cross that line one day? What if I was forced to aim that gun at a _person_? Even if that person was foul and cruel...I didn't want to _ever_ be in that situation. If, by some rare chance I _did_ end up shooting a person...what would that do to me? Would my non-murderer mindset change? Would I slowly drive myself crazy through the guilt of taking a life? At the very least, I doubted I would get out of that without some psychological issues.

  
"You are afraid that you could hurt someone...Or perhaps, you are afraid of how it would change you?"

  
Jeez, he was just too smart for his own good sometimes. Knowing that denying it would do nothing, I nodded.

  
"It is a valid concern," he told me. "Although the fact that you are thinking of such things proves you are of a better moral character than those that learn thinking merely of how useful it would be. Even those that pick up a weapon with the desire to protect can cross the line if they become enamored with their power. It is a delicate balance."

  
Usually, I would comment about how talkative he was today, but I knew that it wasn't the time for that. He was trying to help me out here, and I wasn't about to take it lightly. "How do I know I'll never cross that line?"

  
"You don't. However, you are a good person. I doubt it would ever come to that."

  
"...Are you sure?"

  
"Yes."

  
He sounded so sure of himself that a part of me couldn't help but believe him. It's not like I wanted a weapon to change me, but I knew that it would- even if it was just a little bit. So, having someone like Vincent trust me and my character enough for this was a relief. It reassured me just enough to accept.

  
"Okay. But, umm...I don't have a gun...and I doubt Cole would let me buy one."

  
"Leave that to me."

  
Well, if I was going to learn, I may as well have a good weapon. Letting one of the best marksmen in Gaian history get it for me would practically guarantee that. Still...I couldn't help feeling that I might not be able to avoid getting mixed up in the events to come after all. Learning about materia and how to shoot a gun? Not exactly signs of a peaceful life.

  
The worst part of it was that I wasn't sure who was steering me down this path anymore, Minerva, or myself?

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
General Iroh heaved a weary sigh as he watched his soldiers. When ShinRa had first declared war on the land of Wutai, he, like many others, had been proud to fight. It had been for a just cause, after all, and if he did not fight, then who would?

  
Now, almost three years in, that question had drastically changed in perspective.

  
He kept these thoughts to himself of course, but sometimes, Iroh couldn't help feeling as if there was something bigger at play. The official story was that Wutai had tried to assassinate the ambassador sent to negotiate a treaty- one that would allow ShinRa to build a reactor on their lands. However, he had fought these so-called heartless people, and they were anything but. He wondered...was it really all as clear cut as it seemed? If they were to stop fighting and call for peace, would the people of Wutai really ignore it? He didn't think so, but again, he kept these thoughts to himself.

  
If he didn't, he would be stripped of his rank faster than he could blink, and _then_ who would look after his men?

  
Still, Iroh was, if nothing else, an honorable man. Even as he cut down his enemies, he sent a quick prayer to the Goddess for forgiveness, and a silent apology to the families he had affected. It was something that those same enemies had noted, somehow, and had spared him the fate of death that had claimed many of his comrades. Now, he was the last of the high ranking men, left in charge of all of the young idealists who had been swayed by the company's propaganda.

  
Well, there was one other, but in Iroh's opinion, he was still but a boy.

  
When he had first heard that he would be joined by some of the first SOLDIERs created by the program, he had been curious. There had still been a great deal of mystery surrounding the process at the time, and because they _were_ in fact some of the first, no one knew what they were capable of.

  
Nothing could have prepared him for when he actually _saw_ them, however.

  
At the sight of such youthful faces, he had been _appalled_. Then, when he'd found out they were only _twelve_ , he'd been furious. Enhanced or not, SOLDIER or not, they were _much_ too young to be fighting. However, as he was only in command of the regular infantry, his protests were ignored. Instead, he could only watch as their commanding officer sent those children from battle to battle, either never noticing or never caring that their eyes slowly dulled with each experience. He only cared about how easily they won. It was awful to admit, but Iroh hadn't been too upset at his death a year later. However, arrogance turned out to be something of a curse in SOLDIER, it seemed, since the chain of command had slowly dwindled until Iroh had been grudgingly given command of _all_ the troops.

  
That was when he met Angeal Hewley, Genesis Rhapsodos, and Sephiroth for the first time.

  
All of them were remarkable in combat, of that there was no doubt, but all he could see were the broken gazes of three boys who were trying to cope with what they had been forced to do in their own ways. Genesis immersed himself in a play given to him by a dying soldier, repeating the lines to himself and others as if they held some deeper meaning. Angeal coped by pretending he was not affected, choosing instead to offer comfort to those around him. Sephiroth...Sephiroth worried him the most. The silver-haired teen had been quiet when he first arrived, but now it was a rare thing for anyone to hear him say a word. He built walls to keep both his emotions and others at bay, and when he killed, he did it with a blank expression.

  
It wasn't _right_.

  
So, while ShinRa had been putting more and more pressure on him to give Sephiroth more responsibility or send him into more battles, he had been petitioning to have the young man and his friends recalled. Finally, after months of throwing logic at the higher-ups (which wasn't as effective as one would think), and with some not so pride worthy arguments along the lines of them burning out their weapons (he _still_ felt ill referring to them as such), they had finally agreed to grant them some leave time.

  
"General."

  
He smiled tiredly and turned around. "Is there something you need, Sephiroth?"

  
Sephiroth stared at him intently for a few minutes before frowning slightly. "You're sending me back."

  
"Yes."

  
The frown deepened. "I am a general too, and as such, I should be here."

  
Iroh placed his hands on the young man's shoulders. "I am not doubting your leadership abilities, Sephiroth. You have been nothing if not phenomenal on the battlefield, and I will be the first to admit that your presence has lessened the stress placed upon me."

  
"Then why-...?"

  
He laughed softly. "You remind me a lot of my nephew, you know. So serious all the time, and wanting to fight in order to prove himself. But there is more to life than fighting. There are so many beautiful things to see and to experience. I have had my share of them, but you are young. You have yet to realize the wonders of the world."

  
"I-... I don't understand."

  
He felt saddened by this for a moment. How was ShinRa any less cruel than those they fought if they stole the childhood of such a bright boy? That sadness quickly strengthened his former resolve, however.

  
"I want you to _live_ , Sephiroth. This war is not life. This war is death and sorrow. Pain and regret. War brings bitterness and anger, and will _always_ leave those caught within it hollow and empty. I do not want to see what's left of your spirit be crushed by remaining here."

  
Sephiroth's eyes were wide with surprise- the first emotion to break through in a long time. It was enough to bring the smile back to his face. 

  
"You and your friends have done enough. Let us older folk shoulder the burden for a while."

  
"But...what would I do?"

  
"Spend time with the people close to you, ride a chocobo, anything that you feel like doing. The choice is up to you. That's the best part."

  
"Up to...me?"

  
"Yes. Might I suggest taking your time on the way back to the company should you choose the chocobo, though?" he asked with a laugh. "They might not approve of such a frivolous activity. I, however, have always had great fun riding them for leisure."

  
"I'll...keep that in mind."

  
Iroh nodded, happy that Sephiroth seemed more comfortable with the idea than before. "Now then, why don't you go tell Angeal and Genesis the good news? I'm sure they'll be happy to suggest a few things you can do with your time off. When you're ready to go, Mark will fly you off continent to Rocket Town." When he didn't leave, he grew a little concerned. "Sephiroth?"

  
Now it was his turn to have his eyes widen when Sephiroth wrapped his arms around him.

  
"Thank you."

  
It was soft, and the hug was hesitant, but he could feel the honesty. It made his eyes soften as he returned the embrace. "You have nothing to thank me for. But, if you insist on repaying me, do it by doing something for yourself. Should we meet again, I expect you to be happy."

  
"We _will_ meet again. You are too strong to not survive."

  
He laughed. "I'll do my best."

  
Sephiroth nodded and let go. He was almost out of the tent when he paused. "General...you said I reminded you of your nephew...What is his name?"

  
"Zian. He's a bit more hot-tempered than you, to be honest, but I think you would get along well. I'll introduce you when this is all over."

  
"I'd like that."

  
"Take care, Sephiroth."

  
"You too."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
As I made my way home that evening, thoughts on learning about guns were pushed aside in favor of making sure I made it without being noticed. Vincent’s theory about marriage was troubling, and an issue I honestly hadn’t expected. If I weren’t absolutely sure that it would cause more problems than it would solve, I would say I was with him and be done with it- if I achieved the impossible and got him to agree to such a stupid idea, at any rate. Not that I had feelings for him beyond the admiration of his good looks and surprisingly pleasant personality (once you got past the silent, brooding stage), but he was a better choice than anyone else in town…

  
_‘Okay, I’m going to stop that train of thought before it becomes even more awkward.’_

  
Years ago, I guess I wouldn’t have been all that opposed to the idea, but Vincent was a friend now, and I just found it weird. In fact, I wasn’t sure I _wanted_ to be with anyone. Sure, I wanted a loving relationship just like any other girl, but I was older than everyone my age, even if it was only mentally. It would take one heck of a guy to make me feel like I wasn’t committing some form of pedophilia.

  
Hey, I was older in _mind_ , not body. If I were to hook up with someone that was _physically_ my age, it would feel wrong too.

  
Oh, my head was starting to hurt just _thinking_ about this. I was just going to stay away from romance for as long as I could, and if Mrs. Graham’s son tried to pull something once they became more open with their intentions (and they would, too), I was going to punch him in the face again.

  
Too bad Reeve was out of my age range…I wouldn’t have minded _him_.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

...What was initially meant to be a small part showing that Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal were going to be leaving the war turned into the above. I hope you don't mind. 

  
Since at the beginning of Crisis Core, the three of them had pretty much been shown to be stationed at ShinRa for a while, I needed to bring them back with enough time for their more relaxed game personalities to be reasonable. I would hardly expect Angeal to take Zack on as an apprentice fresh from the front lines. They need time to unwind and get past the harsher side effects of war.

  
That aside, I really wanted to name the nephew Zuko. You can tell I was being a little uncreative with those two, but I needed a general, and Iroh popped into my head.

  
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time!


	6. Prelude: Startling Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castalia tries her best (but fails to) avoid some unwanted attention, Cloud starts developing protective brother syndrome, and some unsettling news is discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still getting this story caught up from FF.Net. Not counting chapter 5, we've got 7 more chapters to go. Let's see if I can get them all up tonight.
> 
> **FF chapter notes:**
> 
> Castalia is still a reflection of what I believe my own reactions would be, but she's starting to become her own character as time goes on. If you were to place both of us side by side, we'd still be pretty similar, but there would be differences now too.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Startling Discoveries**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud was looking at me strangely, but I really didn't care.

  
"Why can't I open the door again?"

  
"Because it's Mrs. Graham, and I don't want to talk to her."

  
"...Why?"

  
"You don't want to know," I grimaced. "And even if you did, I don't think I could stomach telling you."

  
I sent a glare at her from where Cloud and I had been watching from the window. I had been expecting it, but not _on_ my birthday! That woman wasted no time, did she?

  
"It's kind of rude to just leave her out there, though, isn't it?"

  
"It's even _more_ rude of her to try and force her son on me," I muttered.

  
"What?"

  
"Nothing."

  
To my continuing misfortune, it seemed Ma had heard the knock. "Who's at the door?"

  
"No one!/Mrs. Graham!"

  
" _Cloud_!"

  
"What? I'm curious."

  
This new Cloud was a little troll, I thought while directing my glare at him. He'd remembered a few more things that had let him be more at ease around me, but our relationship was still different than before. He'd even started _teasing_ me! Cloud _never_ used to tease me before! Well, not nearly as well as he was now, anyway.

  
...At least he was still honest. Nosy, but honest.

  
"Guess you'll find out soon enough," I sighed as I watched Ma open the door, resigning myself to the upcoming conversation.

  
That's definitely one thing I missed about my old life. I never had to worry about arranged marriages.

  
"Berlinda, what a surprise. What brings you here?"

  
"I came by to wish Castalia a happy birthday!"

  
Ma looked completely nonplussed but nodded. "Castalia, Mrs. Graham wants to tell you something."

  
"I hate you so much right now, Cloud," I hissed before reluctantly making my way over.

  
I _really_ had to force myself not to make a face at her grin.

  
"Castalia! How wonderful to see you!"

  
"Hello, Mrs. Graham. How are you?"

  
"I'm doing just fine, dearie, thank you for asking. Anyway, I hear today is your birthday! Thirteen is a significant age in Nibelheim for young women, you know."

  
I knew the exact moment Ma realized Mrs. Graham's intentions, as I felt her tense behind me. That made me feel _infinitely_ better. At least I wasn't the only one who found her ploy unwelcome.

  
"I know...but, with all due respect, Mrs. Graham," even though I really didn't want to give her _any_ respect right now, "I'm not interested in your son. I'm pretty sure he's not interested in me either."

  
"Don't be silly! Travis adores you-"

  
"I punched him in the face."

  
My lips twitched when I heard Ma snort behind me, and I bit back a laugh when Mrs. Graham's grin became notably strained.

  
"Yes, well, he is a forgiving boy. He's quite fond of your spunk."

  
My _spunk_? _Seriously_? Of all the words to choose from, she went with _spunk_.

  
I almost felt sorry for her. I might have been more sympathetic if it wasn't me she was talking to.

  
"Err...thank you, Mrs. Graham. I'm flattered." _Not_. "But, I'm not interested."

  
To my surprise, she nodded, but I could only gape when I found out why.

  
"Oh, I understand. These things take time, of course. I'm sure after you spend some time together, you'll get along wonderfully."

  
"That's not-"

  
"I'll be sure to send him by later! You have a nice birthday, dear!"

  
Ma and I stared as she shuffled off, and I felt my brow twitch when I noticed the appraising looks of the other women with sons around my age who were out and about.

  
"...Well, fuck."

  
"Castalia!"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud frowned as he watched Castalia and his mother come back inside. Since he hadn't sensed anything truly distressing, he had been amused at her not wanting to open the door. 

  
Now, he wasn't really sure what to think.

  
He hadn't had to deal with this in his last life. He vaguely remembered that the town boys had started hanging around Tifa more a bit before he left Nibelheim, but he hadn't made the connection until now. No wonder they were being so friendly and complimenting her all the time- they wanted to be the family that Castalia married into. It would definitely be a benefit to whoever managed it...

  
He found that he didn't really like that idea.

  
The longer he spent in her company, the more he enjoyed it. She had a more mature personality than the other village kids; something he was grateful for as he had yet to wake Vincent. It made conversation a lot less boring. Snippets of memory that had returned also showed that she'd been a very devoted sister to his younger self, always looking out for him and showering him with affection. He had to admit that he'd been both stunned and touched at how much she seemed to care for him. So, he found himself slowly trusting her, smiling at her and even daring to tease her sometimes, knowing she would understand he wasn't being serious.

  
It was... _fun_.

  
He couldn't remember the last time he'd really had fun- not without worrying about several different things at the same time, anyway. With her, though...with her, he could forget what the future held, even if it was just for a little bit. She was someone new. Someone who didn't remind him of the ways he had failed and the hardships he had faced. She represented the good things that awaited him with this second chance, and he would do his best to protect her. Which meant that she would most definitely _not_ marry _Travis Graham._

  
...Or Hector Johnson.

  
...Or Dennis Baker.

  
...In fact, it was probably best if she stayed away from the Nibel boys altogether.

  
"CLOUD STRIFE!"

  
He stiffened and quickly made his escape. Hero of the future or not, he was an adult in a child's body that had _no_ prior training. He was not going to take his chances with a girl who was not only angry with him but had had training from Zangan as well.

  
He'd learned his lesson with Tifa.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_"Midgar Plates Near Completion. A Revolutionary Way of Life."_

  
I scowled as I read the headline of the latest newspaper. It was already bad enough that Cole asked me to come in today, therefore making me more accessible to the village women, but now I had to be reminded of the events that were steadily approaching. Cloud was nine, which meant Zack was around eleven, right? That meant he would be leaving for Midgar in a little under three years, which meant Cloud might leave in a little under five. Where in the world had the time gone?

  
"I don't see why you bother havin' the paper from _Junon_ delivered all the way out here, Cassie. Kind of pointless if you ask me."

  
"It's good to know what's going on, Cole," I sighed. This conversation was not a new one.

  
"And _I_ say it's distracting you from things that are happening _here_. You're at courting age, and you're more concerned over some metal plates a continent away than of all the nice young lads who have come by to see you today."

  
_'Nice by whose standards? The demon from the ninth dimension?'_

  
Nibelheim was in the middle of nowhere, there was no getting around that fact. The rural lifestyle combined with the fact that life expectancy was also lower due to the dangers of living on a mountain and the threat posed by mutated monsters meant that people tended to marry young. Like, way behind the times sort of young.

  
The youngest official marriageable age in Nibelheim was fourteen, and it was considered good luck if it happened, but luckily that was actually rare. Most of the time, the couple would court each other for a few years, then tie the knot at around sixteen or seventeen. Unfortunately, because people _could_ get married at fourteen, courting could start the year before, and it was considered just as important. A young girl was definitely expected to at least _start_ to consider a future partner around that age, and if one was chosen, she would then spend the year with him as much as possible before deciding whether or not to continue the relationship. If for some _unfathomable_ reason (probably brain damage of some sort), they decided they _did_ want to get married at fourteen, it was usually done on the day of the bride's birthday. _Apparently_ , having the birthday celebration and the marriage on the same day was considered even better luck.

  
At best, I would say I was getting fewer presents. I doubted anyone would want to hear my worst thoughts on the matter.

  
Cole shook his head and walked away when I didn't reply. I was grateful that he, at least, was considerate enough not to push the subject. I wondered what would happen to our family's reputation when they eventually got it through their heads that I wasn't going to marry _any_ of the boys. Nothing good, probably, but we'd been through it once, and we could do it again.

  
_'It's like Harvest Moon in reverse. All the boys are cringe-worthy...I wonder if that would make the secret bachelor the nice one instead of the nightmare they usually are in the game. Seriously, who would want the_ Kappa _?'_

  
I was jerked out of these thoughts by a sharp sting. Looking down, I noticed with a sigh of annoyance that I'd gotten a paper cut. This was turning out to be one of the worst birthdays _ever_.

  
...Or maybe not.

  
_"The Future of Mako Energy: An interview with Reeve Tuesti, creator of a new mako reactor design."_

  
"Huh, I didn't know he came up with a reactor design...Darn it, he's actually really good looking..."

  
It wasn't that I'd been expecting him to be _ugly_. It was just...well, I hadn't expected the games to fall so short, either. The picture was small, and a little grainy, but it still showed that Reeve was a very handsome man- more so than what I remembered he'd been. How old would he be right now? Oh, wait, there it was in the first sentence. 

  
_Twenty-three?_

  
He designed these things at _twenty-three_?! Now _this_ guy was a prodigy if there ever was one. I may not have approved of the reactors, but _I_ had been struggling in my math class when I was twenty-three the first time around...I continued to skim through the article but felt myself grow uneasy as I read on. Reeve really believed he was doing something _good_ here. You could see it in the responses he gave. Did he know about what mako reactors did to the Planet yet? He must have had _some_ idea, at least...right?

  
_"My design should increase mako production by fifty percent while decreasing the amount of damage done to the environment."_

  
Well, at least he knew about the environmental damage, but still not the damage to the Planet...When had he learned about the Lifestream, dang it?! It was times like these I wished I'd played the game, maybe they said something about that in there.

  
_"The damage around Midgar will take a long time to reverse, but I hope to prevent that from happening to the areas with older reactor models. That's why I will be joining a team of technicians to these reactors and overseeing their work as they upgrade them. We should be done within the next few years."_

  
Wait...

  
" _What_?!"

  
...This was _not_ good.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"Vincent!"

  
The gunman was instantly on alert as he heard the panicked tone in Castalia's voice and the fact that she was there to begin with. He hadn't been expecting her today, as she'd planned to spend the day with her family. When he turned to face her, he grew concerned at her pale face and the white-knuckled fist that was tightly clenched around a newspaper.

  
"What is it?"

  
"ShinRa-..." His eyes narrowed at that hated word, and he instantly knew this was serious. "ShinRa's coming to Nibelheim."

  
_Very_ serious.

  
"What are we going to _do_ , Vin?! They're going to see that the manor is clean and ask around, o-or what if they find out you're not in that creepy coffin, or-"

  
He gripped her shoulders and shook her once to snap her out of her panic. "Tali." She quieted, and he felt his gaze soften when he saw how truly frightened she was. "How did you find out?"

  
She handed him the newspaper. "T-The article on page five. Near the end."

  
Making a mental note to compliment her later for keeping track of current events, he took the paper from her and read the article himself. When he finished, he remained silent, thinking over what could be done.

  
"Vincent?"

  
"...Hojo will not allow work on the reactor without some sort of precaution."

  
"Will he come here?"

  
Vincent felt some guilt enter him at the nervous question. He had told her about the man not too long ago, thinking that she needed to be prepared in case he ever decided to return to Nibelheim. If he had known that ShinRa would be coming so _soon_ , he might have reconsidered.

  
"I wouldn't put it past him, but there is no way to say for sure." He paused as an idea finally came to him. "Castalia, you are interested in Mr. Tuesti."

  
He blinked when she turned red. It had been meant as an opening to his idea, but the reaction was...interesting. He looked down at the article again, this time paying closer attention to the photograph of ShinRa's new head of Urban Development. Amusement bubbled up within him when he realized that the younger man could be considered attractive by most women's standards. It seemed the appeal reached mature, thirteen-year-old girls, as well.

  
"I don't think Mrs. Graham would approve."

  
"S-Shut up. I have no idea what you're talking about. He's like, ten years older than me." She faltered, as if considering something, then flushed deeper. "You're a jerk, you know that? Now are you going to tell me what you're scheming or not?"

  
He chuckled but dropped the subject. "What I meant by my previous statement is that you should send a letter to Mr. Tuesti expressing your interest in his work."

  
"But I'm _not_ interested."

  
"He doesn't have to know that."

  
She crossed her arms. "Careful, your Turk side is showing."

  
"It is needed. If he is the sort of person his responses imply he is, he will write back. From there, it should be simple enough to keep track of ShinRa's position through frequent communication."

  
"Until he realizes he's way smarter than me and gets bored. Or even _worse_ , decides he wants to recruit me into his department for some reason."

  
"I would not let that happen."

  
She stared up at him, biting her lip as she thought it over. He didn't stop her. Having to do anything with ShinRa was a risk, even if it was something as simple as exchanging letters with the head of a relatively new department. He was asking a lot from her, so the least he could do was let her make the decision on her own.

  
"ShinRa still scares me, you know."

  
"I know."

  
"But...I trust you, Vincent. I know you wouldn't want me doing this unless you were sure...and I know you would never let anything happen to me... I'll do it."

  
He wasn't surprised at the trust she showed in him, but he still marveled at it just like he did every other time. With a small smile, he placed his hand on her head and gently ruffled her hair- an action he would only permit himself to do to her. "Then we will get started tomorrow. For now, I believe you should head home. Your parents are expecting you."

  
"I _did_ kind of rush over here right after my shift..."

  
"No doubt Mr. Tuesti's impending visit distracted you. Were he not with ShinRa, I might have approved the choice."

  
" _Vincent_!"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_'Honestly,'_ I almost huffed aloud while opening my presents that evening, _'Who knew Vincent had it in him to tease someone like that?'_

  
Was he really that comfortable around me now? He _had_ finally told me about how he came to be at the manor shortly after I agreed to learn gun usage from him, but he had told AVALANCHE too, and he hadn't been that relaxed around _them_.

  
So, what made it different?

  
_'Please don't tell me I'm turning into some sort of Mary-Sue. I'd rather suffer a painful and prolonged death.'_

  
Then there were my recent thoughts to worry about. The most serious being the uncertainty of what was going to come from this. I had avoided changing anything mostly because I knew that, even without interference, things would turn out okay for the most part. But in my panic, I had gone to Vincent, and now I was traveling on utterly unknown territory. How was I sure that ShinRa's visit hadn't happened in the original timeline? If I had left it alone like I had been doing- 

  
No, that wouldn't have been okay, either, since Vincent was awake. Last time, he had been sleeping, and last time, there had been no Castalia Allen to screw it up.

  
Why hadn't I thought of this _before_?

  
The most I could do now was trust that Vincent knew what he was doing and that this all came out okay. Which led to my other less serious, but just as alarming thoughts (at least to me). 

  
My crush on Reeve Tuesti.

  
I thought he was so much older, and while ten years was still a large gap, it wasn’t as bad as I'd thought. In my last life, I wouldn't have even _thought_ about romantically pursuing a man more than five years my senior (and that was pushing it), but it wasn't like my situation was entirely normal. I was paradoxically younger yet older than him at the same time (strangely enough, by almost the same amount of years).

  
Nymphadora Tonks, I both sympathize with and hate you so much right now.

  
When talking with Vincent, I had remembered that she had been about thirteen years younger than Remus, and I had still found the pairing absolutely adorable. I had also had a friend in my other life whose parents were eleven years apart, so it wasn't like it was _completely_ unheard of...

  
No, no, this was a dangerous train of thought. I was going to step away from it now, thank you.

  
Besides, even though he'd seemed like a decent guy in the game, this was _reality_ now. Just like with Cloud, there was a lot I didn't know about him. He was a stranger who I had a passing knowledge of...and who I would soon be in constant contact with if Vincent's plan pulled through.

  
Damn it all to hell, there was just no _winning_ in this situation, was there?

  
_'I want a redo, Minerva. Let me go back to being five again, please. Preferably in an even more out of the way place this time.'_

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

  
If I had the option, I would personally choose Reeve over the three Firsts. Just saying. 

  
This doesn't mean that Reeve will be the one. Anything can happen.

  
On a different note, writing this story made me learn some new things about the FF7 world. I had no idea ShinRa paid a visit to Nibelheim before Cloud left, or that Reeve came up with a redesign for the mako reactors. It's good for my story and for my brain.

  
Finally, one reviewer over on FF has asked what Castalia looks like. I'd planned on integrating descriptions as I went on but never got around to it before the posting of this chapter. So...appearance. Dark brown hair that looks black, hazel eyes, and lightly tanned skin (which is currently not so tan from growing up in a mountain environment). Hope that helps.

  
That covers this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.


	7. Prelude: A Few More Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent does some tutoring, Tifa asks Castalia for a favor, and Cloud does some eavesdropping before deciding to fully embrace the family he has been given.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes me a bit of time to do the small changes needed to cross-post these, so I don't think I'll get to them all before I have to go to sleep (got a morning shift and I'm pretty sure tomorrow is going to be a chaotic day). It's faster than how I was doing it before, though, so I don't see this taking too much longer.
> 
> **FF Chapter Notes:**
> 
> So, a couple of things to address from previous chapters:
> 
> I think I said it before, but just because Castalia likes Reeve, it doesn't mean that she's going to end up with him. If anything, it's more of a reflection on the one I find the most attractive in the series (you have to admit he's a good looking guy- and sane. That's always a plus). I think that in Castalia's circumstance, any romance would depend heavily on the sorts of things she goes through. Basically, what I'm saying is it could be anyone.
> 
> No one has made any mention of this, but I figure I should get it out of the way. Don't expect Castalia to pick up the Buster Sword and start swinging at Sephiroth any time soon (see: never). While this story will focus on Cassie, Cloud is still very much the hero. She's not going to be taking anyone's place, and I'm not going to make important canon plot points focus on her. I will edit the ones that aren't already drastically changed thanks to the butterfly effect to include her, but she won't be in the center of it. Final Fantasy 7 got along fine without her before, and it will continue to do so even after this story ends.
> 
> **New disclaimer since I keep borrowing characters: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**A Few More Changes**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
My brain was going to _explode_.

  
"Almost. You switched the type of poison produced by these two."

  
I sighed as Vincent pointed to two of the plant names on the paper, and then dutifully made the corrections. 

  
When I sent the first letter to Reeve, I knew that he was smarter than I was regardless of the extra years. What I'd failed to realize, however, was just how _much_ smarter he was. I quickly found myself going to Vincent for help in what to write so that I could at least _appear_ to be of the same intelligence. What ended up happening instead was that Vincent helped me write the letters, but also made sure I learned everything relevant to the topics discussed within.

  
It was definitely a humbling experience.

  
I'd never considered myself an intellectual while growing up, but I didn't think myself stupid either. I caught on quickly and did better than most in school (when I didn't procrastinate, that is), so I guess a small part of me had thought that I would be able to keep up- that I would be able to be on the same level as these _incredible_ people...

  
It was probably for the best that this happened. I could only shudder to think how I might have become if that thought had been allowed to grow unchecked. Besides, it wasn't all bad. While Vincent was a bit of a taskmaster, he explained things well. I soon found- to my pleasant surprise -that I could actually look back on the previous letters and understand them better than before. It was still very much Vincent's words under my name, but I would take what I could get.

  
"I think that's enough for today."

  
I smiled sheepishly and nodded. No matter how I tried to hide it, Vincent was always able to tell when I'd reached my limit. Part of me wondered if all Turks could read people this well or if it was just a level exclusive to Vincent. I hoped it was only Vincent. While it was nice to have a friend who could read me with a glance, it lost that nice sentiment when a group of company killers for hire had the very same skill. I did _not_ want ShinRa even _suspecting_ that I knew more than I let on, and I didn't trust my luck enough to risk it.

  
Now wasn't the time to worry about that, though. I would enjoy these peaceful days as they came.

  
With a smile that was entirely too pleased, I closed the book (courtesy of the manor library) and moved it out of sight. "Hey, Vin, how is it that you know all this, anyway? I know you have to know a lot to be a Turk, but things like plant species don't seem like they would be on the syllabus."

  
Vincent was smiling slightly as he watched me scoot further away from the text (and it was so awesome that I could get him to smile more now), but was prompt in his reply. "Natural sciences were a requirement for Research and Development and, to a small extent, SOLDIER in order to help them in the field. I imagine it has only become more so with the war in Wutai. Still, it would help a Turk more than you would think. I always did very well in missions that had me follow a target outside of Midgar."

  
"Huh...I can see that, I guess. So, was it just you, or did other Turks learn too?"

  
"Most didn't bother, at least not until they had a mission that led them into the wilds. I am unsure as to whether they still do, however."

  
"I don't think the sorts of people the Turks are assigned to follow really spend too much time outside of a city or town anymore, so I doubt it."

  
"They were hardly the sort even while I was still with the company."

  
I could feel a more personal question forming, but held it back. Vincent may have been more open with me than I thought I deserved, and he never hesitated to answer questions about ShinRa, but I knew he was uncomfortable answering questions that were focused more on him and the life he'd had before. I really wanted to know (games couldn't even _begin_ to cover the sorts of things I'd learned about Gaia and its inhabitants during my time here), but I wouldn't risk the friendship I had for a few obscure details.

  
"If they all looked like that Palmer guy, I'm not surprised," I snickered instead.

  
I knew I'd made the right choice when he placed a hand on my head and gently ruffled my hair (I loved it when he did that. It made me feel special). Unfortunately, the fuzzy moment couldn’t last.

  
“I should probably start heading home, Vincent. Same time tomorrow?”

  
“Perhaps a little later. I wish to go a little farther away from the manor this time.”

  
“Okay. I’ll be here later, and if you’re not home, I’ll just read a book or something.”

  
“That’s fine.”

  
“Great! See you tomorrow, Vin!”

  
“Until then.”

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
He knew she had questions.

  
It was impossible not to notice her growing curiosity about his life in ShinRa, or perhaps, just him in general. Regardless of which aspect she wanted to know about, he appreciated the fact that she held back. It had been many years, but the pain was still fresh in his mind. He wasn't ready to face his past just yet.

  
Still...a part of him couldn't help feeling she already knew- or at least suspected.

  
He figured that finding him in a coffin couldn't have helped very much, but there were times when he would catch her giving him concerned, thoughtful glances while they were both reading in the study. Glances that, to his surprise, had made him feel exposed- like everything he had gone through and what still lurked within was all there for her to see. It was, admittedly, a bit unnerving. 

  
Veld would have snatched her up in an instant.

  
He frowned at the thought as he trailed along behind Castalia (a practice he had never really fallen out of, even after she had proven capable of taking care of herself). If the standards hadn't changed as far as recruitment went, Castalia was prime Turk material. She was intelligent and insightful, a quick learner, and knew when to be discreet. He probably hadn't helped by teaching her stealth techniques and how to wield a gun, both of which were highly valued skills in that particular branch of the company, but what was done was done and the benefits of her knowing currently outweighed the risks. She was also young which, to ShinRa, only meant that they had more of a chance to mold her to their liking without her even realizing it.

  
It was only now, after he had suffered at their hands, that he was able to see how easily they manipulated others.

  
Castalia had reached the town borders by this point. With a near-silent sigh and a shake of her head, she looked up at the trees (almost to where he was, but still off- he would have to work with her on that).

  
"I know you're there. Maybe not where you are _exactly_ , but I know you've been following me to make sure I make it home okay..." She trailed off for a moment, but then smiled gently. "Goodnight. Thank you for looking after me."

  
_Thank you for being there._

  
He froze, and for a long moment, he just stood there, his heart twisting in something other than guilt and sorrow at the sincere statement behind her words. It wasn't an entirely unpleasant sensation, but it had been too long since he'd felt anything like it. The question was if he should allow himself to care about someone again...

  
Could he trust her?

  
_"Are...Are we friends now, Vincent?"_

  
_"What do you think?"_

  
_"Well...I'd really like to say yes, but that would be kind of presumptuous of me, wouldn't it? It's not friendship if only one of us thinks of it that way..."_

  
_There was a strange tone to her voice, and a part of him suspected that she might have gone through something like that before._

  
_He did his best not to frown. "I...suppose we could be considered friends."_

  
_"Really?!"_

  
_"Why do you sound so surprised?"_

  
_"Eheh...no reason."_

  
He allowed himself a smile. Perhaps, he could try one last time. Minerva help him, though, if ShinRa ever hurt her, there would be hell to pay.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
This was new. Apparently, I was a _role model_.

  
I smiled nervously as I stood in the center of a group of girls. I wasn't really sure how it happened, but some time in between finishing up at Cole's shop the next morning and heading home for lunch, I was cornered and bombarded with giggling admiration.

  
This was _so_ awkward. What the heck was I supposed to _do_?

  
It was different with Cloud. He looked up to me, sure (not so much now as before), but it was more in the "Sissy can do _anything_ " sort of way, not the "I want to be just like you" way. My past life didn't help much either, seeing as I was both the youngest in my immediate family and was never close enough to my younger cousins to garner that sort of attention.

  
To make matters worse, I could see Tifa hovering uncertainly on the edges- like she wanted to join in but didn't at the same time. _Tifa_. Who would grow up to be a thousand times more badass and impressive than I could ever hope to be. Why in the world was she looking up to _me_?

  
"We want to make potions too! Can you teach us Li-li?"

  
I blinked. _Li-li_? Since when did I have _that_ nickname? "Er...sorry Helena, but you need to do really well in school before I could do that."

  
She pouted and crossed her arms, and I sighed. I knew it. I was no good with kids...

  
"It's not that I don't _want_ to. It's just that it's kind of dangerous. I had to read all sorts of books and do lots of homework before I started."

  
I almost laughed at the way she'd paled when I mentioned homework. I couldn't blame her. No doubt we would have been kindred spirits if we'd actually grown up together. It made me feel a little better.

  
"Tell you what, once you're done with school, if you still want me to teach you, ask again and I'll see what I can do."

  
She beamed and nodded the affirmative which, to my immense relief, seemed to settle the other girls down enough to leave. Soon, everyone but Tifa had gone.

  
"They really look up to you," she began after a moment of silence.

  
"I guess so."

  
She frowned slightly. "You don't sound too happy about that."

  
Jeez, even as a kid, she was pretty observant. "I just don't know if I'm the best role model, is all. I'm kinda nervous that I'm going to mess up or something."

  
She giggled, and I couldn't help but smile a bit at the sound. "I thought big kids didn't mess up?"

  
"Whoever told you that has to be the biggest liar _ever_."

  
She laughed again, and the remaining tension between us faded away. I had to admit that it was kind of nice to talk to another girl- one who treated me like an older person instead of a younger one. It was one of the things I missed about being an adult.

  
"Anyway, did you need something, Tifa?"

  
"Umm..." She fidgeted for a moment before looking up with a determined expression (which happened to be absolutely adorable, by the way). "I was wondering if you could ask Master Zangan if he could teach me."

  
I blinked. "Huh?"

  
This was also new. I had no idea how Tifa came to study under Zangan the first time, but I'm pretty sure it sure wasn't through a third party- and wasn't it also _after_ Cloud had left for ShinRa? What had changed to move that up the timeline? Luckily, she took my confusion for disbelief and only straightened her posture even more.

  
"I want to learn how to fight."

  
"Ah...that's all well and good, Tifa, but- uh...are your parents okay with that?"

  
She huffed and crossed her arms. "Does it matter?"

  
I couldn't entirely stop my laugh, but quickly stifled it when she started glaring. "Tifa, in a small town like this one, things don't stay secret for long. Even if Master Zangan agreed to teach you in secret- which is highly doubtful -odds are that someone would find out eventually and tell your parents."

  
Which, in retrospect, made my daily visits to Vincent a sort of minor miracle...or Divine Intervention now that I thought about it.

  
"But that's not fair! Why do you get to fight and not me?!"

  
"Well, I never asked for it, honestly," I admitted with a wry smile. "The villagers just thought I was too violent, so when Master said he'd help me with that, no one argued. T-That doesn't mean you should start beating people up!" I quickly added when I saw the thoughtful expression on her face. "It just means not to get your hopes up. I'll ask him for you, but that's all I can do. If he agrees, it'll be up to you to convince your ma and da."

  
She grinned widely and grabbed my wrist. "That's fine. Let's go!"

  
"W-Wait, Tifa! Slow down!"

  
She fidgeted impatiently and I laughed. It was kind of funny to see her so eager when she'd seemed so calm and collected as an adult. Now that I thought about it though, that innocence was probably something that would be lost with the destruction of Nibelheim. 

  
I frowned inwardly. I'd never really interacted with Tifa in this life, but from what I could see, she was every part the bright, happy- if slightly tomboyish -nine-year-old girl. It was endearing, and even though the suffering she went through was part of what made her such a strong person, just like with Cloud, a part of me didn't _want_ her to lose it. 

  
Would it really be so bad if she grew up a little differently?

  
It was hard to say. Her life was so closely tied with Cloud's, regardless of the different lives they led. If she grew up without any hardships, it was entirely possible that she wouldn't make it through the battle with Jenova. The only way I could see to avoid it was to destroy Jenova before it (she?) became a legitimate threat, but the chances of that happening were slim to none.

  
Then again, things were already starting to change. Maybe Minerva had something in mind...

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud watched Tifa drag Castalia along to Master Zangan's with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was both amused by how awkward the older girl seemed to be around the younger ones (he supposed that came in hand with having above average intelligence) and glad that Tifa was already on the path to becoming the girl he'd known. On the other, he was a bit confused for that very reason. 

  
The details were a little fuzzy, but he was pretty sure that Tifa hadn't started her martial arts training until some time after he left for Midgar. Had she truly wanted to start earlier, but hadn't had an in like she did now? What would this change, if anything? Did he cause this change somehow?

  
Thoughts for another time, he supposed. For now, he had other things on his mind. Like the rather interesting conversation going on downstairs...

  
"I'm not entirely comfortable with this, Matt."

  
"I can't say that I am either. But so far, there doesn't seem to be anything bad going on in the letters. We shouldn't confront her about them unless he starts hinting at things no decent, self-respecting man his age would _ever_ suggest."

  
"It's not the age difference I'm worried about! I honestly wouldn't care about that if he proved to be a good man and Cassie truly cared for him. What _does_ bother me are the sorts of things that could come out of her associating with _those_ people. You know as well as I do they're not as they seem. Heaven knows Mr. Bugenhagen provided us with enough proof of it in all our trips to the canyon."

  
Cloud frowned, a bit of worry slowly creeping into his gut. Ma sounded really worried, and anything that Bugenhagen warned people about wasn't to be taken lightly (and it was still a bit strange to know his mother knew him now- she'd never traveled to Cosmo Canyon in his old life). Still, he was more than a bit confused at what was going on. Who was Cassie writing to that merited such concern?

  
"It's a small branch, though, and not very likely to pull attention..." Matt sighed. "Then again, if he _does_ manage to pull one over us and get her to leave, it's highly doubtful she'd stay unnoticed for long, small branch or not. Just _look_ at what they talk about! I knew Cassie was smart, but _this_ \- I was learning some of these things in my university classes! Combined with her knowledge of item synthesis, she'd be snatched up by one of the bigger departments in a heartbeat."

  
"...We can't let that happen, Matt. Not to our little girl."

  
She sounded so terrified that Cloud fought the urge to run downstairs and comfort her. All the while, his mind was starting to connect the dots, and he did _not_ like where it was leading.

  
"I know. If it comes down to it, we'll fight tooth and nail to keep her here, but for now, we should just keep an eye on the letters. She doesn't seem to show any signs of wanting to leave Nibelheim, so maybe we'll get lucky. This could just be a passing interest coming from her need to learn new things."

  
"Oh, I hope so. I swear, between her and Cloud, I'm going to worry myself gray in a few years!"

  
"If you do, I'll be right there beside you," Matt chuckled. "Anyway, I should go put these back before she gets home. It wouldn't do to let her know we know about the letters- they were surprisingly well hidden."

  
"Then how did you find them?"

  
"Accident, thank goodness. We probably wouldn't have known otherwise."

  
Minerva probably had something to do with it too, Cloud thought as he scrambled back onto his bed at the sound of Matt reaching the top of the stairs and heading for Castalia's room. Sending her a quick, mental thanks, he managed to pull a model plane from the shelf above and settle back down onto his stomach in the time it took Matt to stop outside his door.

  
Now came the hard part.

  
Just like with Castalia, he had found himself slowly relaxing around the man. He was hardworking, honest, and genuinely cared about his mother, Castalia, and himself (although he could do with a bit less of the latter if only to _finally_ be able to sneak away for a while). The only problem was that he remembered a different Cloud- one who didn't carry the burdens of another life. Amnesia could only explain away so much, and while he might be able to get away with acting differently around Castalia, who was still young and would likely not think much of it, it was harder to do so with him.

  
Still, he gave it his best effort to act the age he looked. He felt he owed the man that much, at least, especially after hearing that last conversation.

  
It seemed to be working well enough, seeing as Matt smiled when he saw him there. "Hey, Cloud, what are you up to?"

  
"Playing."

  
"Yeah? I see you're favoring the Tiny Bronco today. You know, Cassie went through quite a lot to get that for you."

  
He'd almost choked upon hearing the name (although now that he looked at it, the little plane was _identical_ to the one he'd flown on in the future. How had he not noticed that before?) but was able to push it down and look at Matt with not-quite-feigned curiosity. This was another thing that he really appreciated the man for doing. Ever since he'd "forgotten," Matt had made sure to tell him stories about everything, occasionally triggering new memories and giving him a better idea of what his life with them had been like.

  
"She did?"

  
He laughed. "Uh-huh. It was actually the year you got your chocobo toy. You see, you'd noticed the plane in a magazine a few months before your birthday. You didn't _say_ anything about it, of course, but all of us could tell you really wanted it. So, your Ma kept the magazine tucked away, and about a month before your birthday, we clipped out the order form and sent it in. Two weeks later, we got it back with a letter saying that they didn't make that model anymore."

  
"Then, how did you get it?"

  
"Well, Cassie wrote another letter asking them if they could make an exception. There were sure to be people who remembered how to make it, and she told them that she would be willing to pay extra for it."

  
"And they agreed?"

  
"No, they still didn't want to. And every time she tried to write after that, her letters came back unopened."

  
By this point, Cloud didn't even try to deny he was curious. "What happened then?"

  
Matt grinned, amusement shining in his eyes. "She went through all of your magazines and found Mr. Highwind's address- he's the one who built the real-life Tiny Bronco. Course, he wasn't too happy when she told him what was going on- it turned out they weren't supposed to have stopped making them yet."

  
Cloud's eyes widened, and he bit back a laugh. Knowing Cid, that couldn't have ended well for the other party.

  
"Long story short, a different company now makes all the Highwind model planes, and Cassie got one for free as thanks."

  
Cloud couldn't hold it back anymore. He laughed. Although, with his physical age, he was a little mortified to find out that it was more like a giggle. That feeling eased slightly when he saw how happy it made Matt, but it returned with a vengeance when he was suddenly lifted into the air, and he squeaked- actually _squeaked_! -in protest.

  
"H-Hey! P-Put me down!"

  
He was too old to be carried around like this, damn it!

  
Almost as if reading his thoughts, Matt laughed. "What, too old to play airplane with me now, Cloud?"

  
Dear Minerva, _yes_!

  
His voice seemed to have momentarily abandoned him, however. So, it was with a red face and wide eyes that Matt carried him downstairs to the kitchen, where Ma and Castalia- who must have come back sometime during their conversation -watched in amusement. 

  
Now would have been a perfect time for the earth to swallow him up.

  
"Da, you might want to put him down now," Castalia giggled. "If any more blood goes up to his face, he might explode."

  
"We still have one more loop around the table, Cassie!"

  
"No!" He cried, uncaring of its whiny quality. _Screw_ his dignity. After this, he wasn't sure he had any _left_. "Put me down! _Please_ , Da!"

  
He froze, as did everyone else in the room, and it was with agonizing slowness that he was placed back on the floor. A part of him wished he was still up in the air so that he could avoid the awkwardness of this situation.

  
He'd never known his father. Ma said that he had died in an accident on their way to Nibelheim shortly after he was born. That didn't mean that he was eager to replace him, however. He'd always had an idea of him in his mind: strong, brave, caring- everything that a father should be.

  
...and wasn't that the kind of man Matt _was_?

  
He absentmindedly bit his lip as the thought came unbidden. He couldn't deny that he'd wanted a father like Matt while he was growing up, but he was an adult now! He was too old to be playing childish games- much less with a man that was technically his age! It had been a slip of the tongue, nothing else.

  
"Y-You called me Da again..."

  
But, if that was the case, then why did his heart ache so much at hearing the stifled sob in that statement?

  
"I..." He looked around the room, noting that Ma and Castalia seemed to be holding their breath before turning back to Matt's painfully hopeful expression. He sighed. How could he deny him this one thing after everything he had done? "Y-Yeah."

  
The next thing he knew, he was in a tight embrace, and his eyes softened at the growing dampness on his shoulder. He knew that he had caused Matt more than a little pain when he first woke up in this new life, but he hadn't realized quite how much it was. How much must Matt have cared about the other Cloud (although it was still technically him, given the extra memories) that he was reduced to tears just because he called him Da?

  
_'You're too good for me, Matt. I don't know why Minerva put someone like you in my life this time around...'_

  
He was pretty sure that he would still wonder about his real father, but as he tentatively wrapped his small arms around Matt and asked him not to cry, he couldn't say that he minded having another one all that much anymore. 

  
He wasn't too old for his Ma...so why should he be too old for this?

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_Hey Dad,_

  
_How are the front lines? I hear things are at a bit of a standstill over there. I hope you're taking advantage of that to get some food and sleep in you- I know how you are when you're worried._

  
_Anyway, you'll be happy to hear that Lieutenant General Sephiroth and Friends (I feel like that should be trademarked) have safely made it back to ShinRa. Although...there's this rumor going around that they rode into the building on chocobos. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that now, would you?_

  
_Auntie tells me that Zian is the same as always (the little brat), but that Alani has come down with a cold (but refuses to believe it because she's "too strong to get sick"). She told me to ask you to send Uncle their love. Isn't he supposed to be on his way back soon, though? Well anyway, if he's there, be sure to tell him okay?_

  
_As for me, my training is going well. I think my instructors are going to recommend me for SOLDIER 2nd, but that could just be the ego talking. What I do know is that I'm going to be assigned on a mission soon. It's nothing too dangerous, so don't worry. One of the SOLDIERs who was part of an escort group for Mr. Tuesti (he's the new head of Urban Development, in case you didn't know) got on the wrong end of a monster or something, so he has to leave and I'm taking his place. It shouldn't take too long- they're already halfway done, I think -but in the meantime, my letters might be a little scarcer. I know how you like traveling, though, so do you want me to pick up some souvenirs? We'll be passing by Rocket Town at some point, so I'll have the chance to send them over..._

  
_I'll be joining the group at the enclosed address for a while, so you can send me your answer there. For now, I should probably get going. If I want to make it to 2nd and join you over in Wutai, I can't just laze about on my bunk writing letters. Take care, Dad, and wish me luck._

  
_Lots of love,_

  
_Your fantastic, awesome, totally cool son who is, without a doubt, the favorite grandchild._

  
.......

  
When finished, Iroh tucked his son's letter away with a huff of laughter and a shake of his head. 

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

  
**FF Ending Notes:**

So, chapter six is done. Would anyone mind if I said the last two parts totally stole the show?

  
It wasn't my intention, but this chapter focused a lot more on Cloud than Cassie. I don't mind that, but I hope the rest of you are okay with it. Anyway, not much here as far as the plot moving forward, but I like to think there was some good character progression. Whether or not you agree is a different matter, but I'll delude myself until the first reviews come in. 

  
I actually rewrote the beginning of this chapter a few times, with one of the versions actually having the letters between Castalia and Reeve. They were kind of lame, though, so I cut them out (Nibel dragons and cucumbers, that's all I'm going to say about them). Maybe if I figure out a way to make them sound better, I'll include them, but for now, I think it's best if I let you guys provide your own ideas as to what they wrote about.

  
Tifa finally made an appearance. In all honesty, I kind of forgot about her for a while. It's not out of dislike or anything, it's just that I was writing about other things. This, I think, actually makes it an accurate representation of what I would have done in that situation. I would be far too busy getting used to my new family and life to try and make connections with "important characters" unless I was practically shoved in their direction like Cassie was with Vincent. It should also be noted that Tifa doesn't look up to Cassie like the other girls. There's a bit of childish admiration, yes (like most little girls look up to older ones), but she's not aiming to follow in Castalia's footsteps. Tifa is very much her own person, and that's not going to change any time soon. 


	8. Prelude: Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many conversations are had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My opening notes from FF aren't really all that important or relevant to the chapter itself, so I won't bother bringing them over. Move along, move along.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Conversations**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Ten years. Gone in the blink of an eye.

  
I sighed as yet another failed synthesis curled up into acrid smoke. Cole would be more than a little upset, but I couldn't find it in me to care at the moment.

  
I was fifteen.

  
Puberty actually hadn't been that bad this time around. I wondered if it was because I'd already gone through it once, so the hormone thing wasn't as out of balance. I didn't know, I wasn't a doctor.

  
Zack would be leaving for ShinRa next year, and Cloud in three.

  
I also learned that memories of my past life had been slipping away without me noticing. Honestly, I'm surprised that I managed to remember so much for so long, but it was still a pretty big blow to suddenly realize I couldn't remember things I'd considered important.

  
I was _scared_.

  
I was afraid of forgetting my old family, of forgetting what it was that made me who I am, that ShinRa would finally reach Nibelheim next week, that the "game events" were so close now, that so much had already changed (Tifa's ma hadn't died yet, Cloud was training with Master Zangan, my own Ma was _pregnant_ and oh God, that shouldn't have happened, and I was the cause of all of this and how much was this going to _change_ things?), terrified of losing my _new_ family to that series of horrible tragedies, anxious and desperate in trying to figure out a way to keep them safe when the inevitable happened-

  
"Damn it, Castalia! I thought I told you no more experimenting!"

  
I jumped, wincing when the pestle and mortar I'd been using fell to the floor, shattering with a crash that seemed almost deafening. Cole stepped forward, face red and expression incensed as I hurried to clean it up.

  
"Cole-"

  
"Don't you try apologizing! You _know_ how expensive phoenix down is, and here you are wasting all of it on silly projects! You're a young woman, Cassie, you should know better by now!"

  
An increasingly familiar mix of frustration and guilt went through me at his words. Guilt because I knew he had a point and frustration because...well...I wasn't making any _progress_.

  
A little over two years ago, I'd gotten this...idea.

  
Phoenix Down was, as the name implied, created using the down of a phoenix. However, it wasn't quite as simple to create as it sounded. The down needed to be finely ground before being combined with a powdered elixir. The result was a fine, velvety substance that could be applied topically onto an injured person or injested orally. It was a grueling item to make, as both the down and the elixir had to be prepared a certain way (and have you ever tried to ground a feather? It's not fun), but there was no denying that it was a powerful and useful item to have. It was when I had finally managed to make a passable one that inspiration struck.

  
New medicines were discovered all the time.

  
Technology was continually changing and improving.

  
Revolutionary ideas came out every day.

  
So, why couldn't I invent something _stronger_ than a Phoenix Down?

  
I wasn't looking for something to bring back the dead- no matter what world you lived in, no mortal man had the power to do that -but if I could just make something strong enough to keep them from dying should something happen...Something that succeeded where Phoenix Down _failed_...I knew it was ambitious, and I knew it was probably impossible, but damn if I wasn't going to _try_.

  
Ma and Da, Cloud and the new baby, Tifa and Vincent...

  
The clock was ticking, and I would fall apart if I lost them.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud groaned as he stared up at the sky. 

  
"Wanna go again?"

  
He couldn't quite stop the smile that tugged on his lips. "I think I'm going to call it a day, Tifa."

  
Tifa shrugged, but there was no mistaking her smug expression. "Okay. See you tomorrow, Cloud."

  
"Bye."

  
He sighed quietly when she was gone, all at once proud of her and disgruntled at the fact that he had lost to a ten-year-old. He may have had years of fighting experience over her, but it only went so far when his body wasn't ready, and they _had_ agreed to stick to martial arts- something that she had taken to like a duck to water while his mind was fighting his instincts over what to do. He figured that learning a whole new way of fighting when he was used to another could do that, but it was necessary.

  
He wasn't strong enough yet.

  
When he had _finally_ managed to evade notice long enough to try heading toward the mansion, he had run into a pack of rather vicious Nibel Wolves. While they would have been nothing for him as an adult, as a child, it was a different matter. One hour and some _really_ close calls later, the wolves decided he wasn't worth the trouble while he decided that he should probably toughen up before trying to wake Vincent.

  
So, he'd started training under Zangan.

  
It hadn't taken all that much to convince him, fortunately. With Castalia and Tifa already training under him, and once he had seen that Cloud was serious about getting stronger, he had agreed. It wasn't what he was used to, but he knew that if he tried any of the exercises he'd done in the future, he'd probably destroy his body. Zangan knew a child's limitations, so it was better to have him decide the whens and hows. 

  
Castalia had been worried at first, which he could understand from an older sibling's perspective, but she had calmed down in time. He still hadn't managed to convince her to spar with him, but given his loss to Tifa...

  
"Cloud?"

  
He blinked and pulled himself out of his thoughts in time for the very subject of them to lean over with a smile.

  
"Were you sleeping?"

  
He sat up and stretched. "No. Just thinking."

  
"About?"

  
"Stuff."

  
"That explains so much," she said with a playful roll of her eyes. "Anyway, Da asked me to find you. It's time for lunch."

  
"Already?"

  
"Time flies when you're flirting with pretty girls, Cloud."

  
He choked. " _Flirt_?! With _Tifa_?!"

  
She grinned mischievously. "I never said Tifa, but thanks for confirming it."

  
It was a testament to how close they'd gotten when he felt heat rush to his cheeks.

  
"I don't like her like that."

  
He might have once, but with everything that happened, those feelings never had a chance.

  
"If you say so. Though I suppose I should be grateful that you're not interested in girls right now. Ma says you're going to be a very handsome man when you grow up, and I agree. So, when you do decide you want to settle down, I'm going to have my hands full chasing the hordes away. I'd prefer to get a little better with my fire materia before then."

  
" _Castalia_!"

  
He couldn't decide whether he was embarrassed, appalled, or amused. He settled on fond exasperation when she broke into peals of laughter. Castalia _loved_ getting all sorts of reactions from him and probably considered it a personal challenge when he resisted. He should have been used to it by now, but she still managed to surprise him sometimes.

  
His attention turned to her again when her expression shifted.

  
"You know I love you, right Cloud? Even if I tease you a lot?"

  
He smiled slightly. "You only tell me every day."

  
Not that he minded. Every time she said it, he couldn't help but feel happy that he meant so much to her. Castalia probably knew that too, judging by the way her smile softened. She was quick to pull him into a hug and rest her chin on his head.

  
"Good. I don't want you to _ever_ doubt it."

  
Her voice was low, almost as if she was speaking to herself, and he frowned a bit at the way her arms tightened around him. Something was off, but he didn't know what it was...She almost sounded...scared? What could she be scared of?

  
"...Cass? You okay?"

  
She pulled away and smiled, but it was still _wrong_. "'M fine, Chicky. It's just me being silly is all. I can't help but worry about you sometimes, y'know?"

  
He _did_ know. Well, maybe they weren't considering the same dangers, but that didn't mean that their desire to keep each other safe was any less than the other.

  
"You don't have to worry. I can look after myself."

  
That didn't cheer her up at all. In fact, her expression actually seemed to become a little...resigned. "I know."

  
Worry began to stir within him. Castalia wasn't one to get into this sort of mood, and he quickly decided that he didn't like seeing her like that at all.

  
As if sensing this, she sighed and hugged him again. "Sorry, Cloud. I've been thinking a lot too. I guess a part of me just doesn't want to admit you're growing up."

  
So _that_ was it. She was just coming to terms with the fact that he didn't need her to "protect" him anymore.

  
A strange mix of relief and sadness spread through him. While he knew that he'd never really needed her to look after him in the first place, he couldn't help but recall memories of before he'd arrived- the feelings of awe as his "Sissy" stood up for him and defended him from the other boys, and the fierce joy that came from knowing that she would _always_ stand up to them because she could do _anything_ and she was his _sister_ and she _cared_ -

  
His eyes stung, and his throat felt tight, but he didn't pay that any mind as he hugged her back.

  
"...Love you, Cloud."

  
Even if he ended up fighting Sephiroth for the rest of his life, coming back was worth it for this.

  
"Love you too."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
It had been coming for some time, he supposed.

  
"Vincent?... Is something wrong?"

  
He heard the question, but he remained silent as he considered how to broach the subject.

  
As she usually did, Castalia had made her way over to the mansion shortly after having lunch with her family. She'd seemed a little subdued, but she'd quickly assured him that it wasn't anything serious. Since nothing of high note had happened in the past few days, he had left it alone. 

  
"I'm sorry if it's no good. Ma's been making some weird stuff because of her cravings, so Da and I've been cooking instead."

  
Instead, his mind had been preoccupied with another matter. While he had grown fond of Castalia, he could no longer put off the fact that there were too many things that didn't make sense. Little things that might not catch attention on their own, but _together_...

  
"Cloud thinks that the cooking should be left just to me, though, since Da's kind of comes out weird too. He-...he was the one that made lunch today..."

  
She was hiding something. Something _important_.

  
"...Vin?"

  
"...What are you keeping from me?"

  
He felt like sighing in resignation when she stiffened. For a long time, she stared at him, eyes wide in surprise before they filled with panic, then sadness and...guilt.

  
"I guess it was silly of me to think you wouldn't notice anything," she confessed in a near whisper. "But...I wanted to keep it a secret for just a little longer. Even after you went into detail about-...about Hojo's experiments and what Ms. Crescent did to save you."

  
Her eyes watered. "I knew that I should have told you, if no one else, but...But it's just so _crazy_ that I was scared you wouldn't believe me. Or that if you did, you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore. I don't have a lot of friends, Vincent. Not like you. So...I kept putting it off. I'm sorry."

  
He had to admit that he was a bit curious. What could she be hiding that would make her think these things? However, as much as he wanted to, now wasn't the time to indulge his curiosities. Whatever she was hiding, it was causing her distress.

  
"...Do you trust me, Castalia?"

  
"Always."

  
No hesitation. He had to smile a bit at that.

  
"Then trust me when I say that I will not abandon you."

  
His eyes softened when his words seemed to have a profound effect. Did his friendship truly mean so much to her?

  
"...Thank you, Vincent."

  
"...Will you tell me?"

  
She hesitated, but when she met his gaze, she nodded slowly and took a shuddering breath.

  
"I-I...I had another life, once."

  
He couldn't stop himself from frowning slightly in confusion, but he remained silent as she ran a hand through her hair and continued. 

  
"It's been so long that my memories of it are starting to feel like a dream, but there are parts of it that I try to remind myself of every day. Like my family."

  
"The merchants?"

  
She shook her head. "Not them. I never really knew _them_."

  
There was a moment of silence as she seemed to struggle with something. Finally, she sighed, and he saw a flash of anxiousness and resignation in her eyes before she looked away.

  
"It was a different family...A different _world_."

  
_World?_

  
"What do you mean?"

  
He was startled at the slightly hysterical laugh that escaped her. "I mean a world that's not Gaia. Can you imagine how _confused_ I was to suddenly wake up in a world that I didn't think was real? To realize that I was a kid again when the last thing I remembered was being an _adult_?" She buried her face into her hands. "I thought I was going _crazy_. Sometimes, I _still_ wonder..."

  
He pushed down his mounting concern- and disbelief -in order to carefully think over what he'd just been told. There was a very high probability that Castalia _was_ suffering from some sort of mental instability ( _a result of whatever had caused the destruction of the merchant caravan?_ ), but he would prefer to leave that as the final option. He wasn't going to make any sort of decision until he knew _everything_.

  
"What was that world called?"

  
Her head jerked up, and he couldn't fault her for the suspicion that colored her features (it was hard to believe no matter _how_ one looked at it, and she _knew_ that), but he remained firm. Slowly, she relaxed, and he knew he'd made the right decision in hearing her out when she gave him a tiny, yet painfully _hopeful_ smile before answering the question.

  
An hour later, and his thoughts were _reeling_.

  
As _impossible_ as it seemed ( _hislifeandthoughtsandfeelingsandeverythingaboutthisworldwasjusta_ game _?_ ), it made all the little discrepancies he'd noticed click together with a frightening amount of sense.

  
She'd _known_.

  
From the moment they'd met, she'd known who he was and what he'd gone through. As that disconcerting realization sunk in, he felt a jolt as it brought forth another question.

  
...Had that been the reason she'd befriended him? Had she truly cared about him at all, or had everything just been in the interest of meeting a "character" that she liked?

  
...No.

  
Whatever her circumstances might have been, he knew she had accepted that her life here was as real as the one she'd had before. That the people _here_ were real. Perhaps they may not have existed in that sense on this "Earth," but who was to say that the man who'd "created" their world hadn't just glimpsed it somehow and credited it to his own imagination?

  
"Please _say_ something, Vincent."

  
She wouldn't look so terrified if she didn't care.

  
She wouldn't fret when Cloud got hurt and vent her worries about protecting him (which had a whole new meaning to them now) even when it was just something minor.

  
She wouldn't smile so brightly when talking about the new baby or how her father was driving her mother crazy by being overprotective.

  
She wouldn't sound so fond, yet exasperated when regaling him with the Lockheart girl's latest bout of mischief.

  
...She wouldn't be crying big, heaving, _heartbroken_ sobs like she was now because his silence had dragged on for far too long and she'd gotten the wrong idea.

  
"Foolish girl," he murmured as he sat beside her to pull her close. "How could I not believe you when you've given me no reason to do so?"

  
He wasn't at all surprised when she cried harder.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"Cloud?"

  
Cloud blinked and turned from the book he'd been reading to see Matt standing in the doorway.

  
"Yeah?"

  
The man seemed to consider something before sighing, walking over to his bed and sitting down. "I know it's a bit late, but...how do you feel about the baby?"

  
He stared at him in confusion. "...Feel?"

  
Matt fidgeted and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know...since I'm your step-da."

  
Oh...

  
He snorted.

  
"I'm serious."

  
Cloud smiled slightly, both amused that he was asking at all and touched at his consideration. "I know."

  
There was a brief silence.

  
"...So?"

  
"So what?"

  
" _Cloud_."

  
Oh, Castalia was _definitely_ rubbing off on him. He was starting to enjoy teasing people. Matt had probably been honestly worried about this though, so it was time to put him at ease.

  
"I'm fine with it, Da."

  
"Really?"

  
"Mhmm."

  
"You're not mad or upset or anything?"

  
He almost snorted again. As it was, a slight snicker did escape. "No, Da. I'm happy about it. Really."

  
He _was_ a little worried, to be honest. This was a _big_ step away from the past that he'd known and he wasn't sure what it would change, if anything, but he truly was happy about it. How could he be upset when he saw how happy it made his mother?

  
"I just wanted to be sure..."

  
Which already put him above countless other men who didn't take children into account.

  
"Okay," and just because he couldn't resist, "Feel better?"

  
Now Matt snorted. "I shouldn't have worried, huh?"

  
"Nope...but thanks anyway."

  
Matt smiled and ruffled his hair, which brought forth a halfhearted protest. Normally, he didn't like people doing that, but he supposed he could let it slide this time.

  
"Night, Cloud."

  
"Night, Da."

  
Cloud lay back down when he left and stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes, lost in thought. Finally, he smiled and placed his book on his nightstand before turning off the light.

  
Soon, he would wake Vincent. That would mark the end of these peaceful times and the beginning of the hard ones, but for now...

  
For now, he would relish the time he had.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

  
**FF Ending Notes:**

  
As you can see, there was a bit of a time skip. Two years, in fact. That places Cassie at fifteen and Cloud at eleven. A lot of stuff is starting to change, and yet none of it is canon related. Cloud has learned to relax a bit and is currently enjoying his second childhood, while Castalia is starting to tread away from those innocent times.

  
Honestly, I hadn't been planning on having Vincent find out in this chapter, but darn if he didn't get away from me and decide on his own. I figure it's still acceptable, though. At this point in time, they would have known each other for five years now, and it wasn't the sort of "see you once every other month" sort of knowing that the canon characters had with him. She visits him almost every day, so they're closer. 


	9. Prelude: Introspections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt thinks on how much his life has changed, Vincent and Castalia plan, and then have those plans tested by an unexpected factor.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Introspections**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
How did one go about approaching a teenage girl about a sensitive topic?

  
Matt sighed as he pondered the question, taking an appreciative sip of his coffee while he watched the sky slowly lighten with the sunrise. He had woken about an hour ago, and had been unable to fall back to sleep despite the wonderful comfort of the bed and the peace he always felt when with his wife (even after the fact, associating Skye as something so intimate still sent a rush of joy through him). So, he'd gotten up and made his way to the kitchen, hoping to pass the time until his family awoke by making breakfast (he was sure it would come out better than last time), but ultimately found himself sitting at the table wondering where the years had gone.

  
_A small, shivering figure clung to him tightly as he walked away from the wreckage...and two people whose death seemed very, very recent._

  
_"It's okay...You're going to be alright."_

  
Sure, he'd been hesitant at first. Despite coming to the decision to take care of her, he'd had doubts. Who wouldn't? But, looking back, he knew he'd made the best decision of his life by choosing to stay in Nibelheim.

  
_What was he even doing here? Skye had been a wonderful help, but he couldn't impose on her any longer. He had a future waiting for him in Junon, one that he wasn't sure how to make work with a child, but he would have to find a way. It wasn't like he couldn't leave now that things had settled down...and yet..._

  
_"Matthew."_

  
_It was a light, warm voice that had snared his attention even then- just like the bright blue eyes of her son and the tentative smiles of the young girl he'd found tugged at something in his heart._

  
_"Yes?"_

  
_"Have you thought up any names?"_

  
_Something kept him here..._

  
_"Well...I really like the name Castalia."_

  
_And he realized that he didn't really mind._

  
Despite that, he felt like he'd been cheated somehow. Like he'd blinked and suddenly, it was ten years later. He wondered if it was normal to feel this way.

  
_"What's all this?"_

  
_Castalia smiled sheepishly up at him from the floor of her room, papers and books haphazardly scattered around her. "...Homework?"_

  
_He bent down to pick up one of the books, his brow raising as he read the title. "Uh-huh. So...mind telling me why A Beginner's Guide to Materia is here instead of in my room? I'm pretty sure they don't teach that in school."_

  
_"It's a project?"_

  
_He snorted. It figured that he'd get a bookworm for a kid. He just knew that this was payback for his own childhood. Oh, how his parents had tried to make him spend some time outside... "I love how you're making all of your answers a question."_

  
_She smiled again, and darn if it wasn't a bit mischievous. "Okay, then I'll ask a question for real. How come you have so many books on Chocobos? Are you a secret Chocobo smuggler?"_

  
_He couldn't stop the bark of laughter that escaped him. "I like Chocobos. Besides, how in the world would you smuggle one and why?"_

  
_"I dunno. You're the criminal mastermind, you tell me."_

  
It was only now, with a baby on the way, that he noticed just how much time had gone by. His daughter (blood relation be damned, she was _his_ and no one could tell him otherwise), had pretty much already flown the nest and returned only because she had nowhere else to go...At least, not then.

  
_"Hey, Da?"_

  
_"Yes?"_

  
_"What did you use to do? Before you met Ma, I mean."_

  
_He set down the book he'd been reading and looked at her with a brow raised in question. "What brought this on?"_

  
_She fidgeted, and it was then that he noticed her grip on a sheet of paper and an envelope. "I got this letter today..."_

  
_Now even more curious, he gestured to the empty couch space beside him, a smile spreading on his face as she bounded over and made herself comfortable against him._

  
_"So, a letter, huh?"_

  
_She nodded and handed it over. "It's from the guy in charge of Junon University's science department. He says they've been keeping an eye on me since I finished my first year of extended studies...and that they would really like it if I finished there-"_

  
_"-Because you have potential and it would be a shame to lose it, seeing as I never made it there after graduating myself," he finished for her, having skimmed over the letter as she'd been explaining._

  
_"Yeah."_

  
_He sighed, an uncomfortable pit of ice settling in his stomach at the thought of Castalia going to Junon. It was funny how something that would have filled him with pride before he'd settled down now only filled him with dread. Then again, Junon- and ShinRa by extension -had lost a lot of appeal since he started making regular trips to Cosmo Canyon._

  
_"I did extended studies too, in a little town north of Gongaga, only I was studying in engineering instead of item synthesis. I was actually already signed up for a position in Research and Development, but since the cost for traveling by boat was more expensive, I was heading up to Rocket Town in order to catch a flight to the other continent."_

  
_"And that's when you found me."_

  
_"Yes, that's when I found you," he affirmed._

  
_Castalia stared at the letter he held for a moment, a strange expression on her face before she surprised him with a tight hug and a quiet murmur so full of relief that it tugged at his heart. "...I'm glad you didn't go, Da."_

  
_He could feel his expression soften as he returned the embrace and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm glad I didn't too..."_

  
_It would have meant never meeting Skye or Cloud, and more than likely messing up tremendously when it came to raising the wonderful child in his arms, and that was something he never wanted to think about._

  
He had thought it would be fine after that. He should have known that things were never that simple. ShinRa would practically be knocking at the door with their visit, and he wasn't so sure that she would refuse the offer again- especially after seeing the letters. She was too curious about the world- too smart and independent -to be confined to Nibelheim forever...

  
"D-Da? What're you...doin' up so early?"

  
He was brought out of his thoughts at the question and chuckled as he saw Castalia at the doorway, sleepily rubbing her eyes- the chocobo sleeping cap she wore only making the scene cuter. Maybe she wasn't quite _that_ grown up yet...

  
"I couldn't sleep."

  
She blinked a few times, awareness coming into her eyes even as she yawned again. "Is everything okay? Nothing's wrong with Ma, right?"

  
He smiled. Just how he had managed to raise such a caring, sweet, intelligent girl was lost on him. It was probably all Skye's doing. "Your mother's fine. But you know, now that you're up...you want to help me with breakfast?"

  
"Sure, Da!"

  
For a moment, he'd debated on telling her that he knew about the letters. He was confident in the fact that, although she might be a bit upset about the breach in privacy, she would still hear him out and be reasonable about it. It was that same surety, however, that made him decide against it. If he knew his daughter at all, then she would make the choice to remain here.

  
Besides, it wasn't like Nibelheim didn't have its own shares of dangers to keep her from getting bored.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
I'd forgotten just how _creepy_ the room we'd found Vincent in was until I saw it again.

  
"Are you sure about this, Vin?"

  
Of course, knowing that Vincent was going back into that damned _coffin_ in a little less than a week wasn't helping.

  
"I doubt Hojo will bother to check if I'm still there with everything else that he'll be doing, but it's better to not take any chances."

  
"Yeah...but..."

  
"Do you remember the plan, Castalia?"

  
"Make sure the coffin looks like it's locked, follow the tunnel to the side entrance so that I don't mess up all the dust you've spread around- something I'm still annoyed about, by the way. Do you know how long it's going to take to clean that up? Where did you even _get_ that much dust?"

  
"Castalia."

  
I sighed. "Right, right, I know it's necessary, but it's still annoying. Anyway, once I make it out, I just have to pretend to be an innocent, but intelligent, fifteen-year-old girl who has no interest in ShinRa- other than exchanging letters with Mr. Tuesti -for however long they're here." 

  
My version was overly simplified, of course, but Vincent had spent so much time drilling the entire thing into my head that I was admittedly tired of it all. I just wanted this whole thing to be over with. 

  
And of course, Vincent managed to hit upon all of my insecurities with almost frightening ease. "You'll do fine, Tali."

  
I made my way to the couch and let myself fall heavily onto the cushions (and the fact that there even _was_ a couch in this room said a lot about Hojo's depravity, didn't it). "How can you be so sure? Vin, even though you had me practice, there are still times when I have to stop and force myself to _make_ noise when I'm walking. Everyone here wrote it off as a result of my training with Zangan, but that's not going to work with them. If they send any of the higher ranking Turks- which they _will_ considering what's locked up in the reactor -they're going to _recognize_ the movements."

  
It was kind of funny- at first, anyway. I had thought it would be impossible to learn how to move like Vincent. Now, I felt like tearing out my hair because I couldn't _stop_.

  
"You have mastered it to the point that any Turks who come next week will not find it suspicious enough to warrant investigation. You will be _fine_ , Castalia."

  
I was about to protest before considering the statement. Instead, I just sighed and nodded. "Sorry, Vincent. It's just-... I'm scared, y'know?"

  
There were already changes between what I "knew" and what was actually going on, and more changes were sure to come. We could plan for what I'd told Vincent was going to happen, sure, but we were going to need inside information from ShinRa if we truly wanted to be prepared for the future. Reeve was the best choice, and for that, we needed to establish a good relationship with him. The thing was, _so_ many things could go wrong while ShinRa was here that it wasn't even funny. The worst part of it was that most, if not _all_ , of those things started with _me_. I was the biggest risk, and that was terrifying. If I wasn't able to pull this off, it wouldn't just be us paying the price, but my family too.

  
Despite my growing anxiousness, I couldn't help but smile a bit when Vincent sat down next to me and didn't protest when I immediately made myself comfortable against him.

  
It had been a week since I told Vincent the truth, and it was startling how little had changed between us. Shortly after I had stopped crying, he had begun asking me about what I remembered, and not just subjects related to the game. He had asked me about my life on Earth- how big it was, what it was like, the technology...my friends and family. Anything that he could think of, he asked. I answered every single one, vaguely aware of the fact that I had taken hold of his hand, but hadn't been willing to let it go. Maybe in my last life, I might have been a little embarrassed or ashamed of how clingy I'd been, but...Vincent had _stayed_. He accepted me for who I was and what I had done in this life...

  
That meant more to me than I could ever say.

  
"I...apologize for asking so much of you. Both now, and when I was asking you about your last life."

  
I shook my head, smiling a bit at the warmth his concern brought to me. "You're not asking a lot, really. It's just that this is the first time I've done anything like this before, so I'm nervous. And actually...I'm happy that I told you everything."

  
It was true. All of those people who likened keeping a secret of that magnitude to carrying an enormous weight on their backs weren't joking. I hadn't realized just how cornered and panicked I was becoming until it all came pouring out in an emotional mess. Now, while I was still worried about the future, I was actually more at peace than I had been in a long while. I felt...safer.

  
Protected.

  
Even once I'd gotten used to my new life, there had always been that pressure- the additional weight of a looming threat. I knew that there was a possibility that I might be dragged into things whether I wanted to be or not, especially since I was close to Cloud, but it was hard to come to terms with that. It still was, but I felt much better about it all knowing that Vincent would be with me. He was easily one of the strongest people on Gaia next to Cloud and Sephiroth, as well as one of the most intelligent. Now that I couldn't avoid ShinRa entirely, I didn't doubt that I would have been running around in a panic without him here to guide me.

  
I shivered at just the _thought_ of what it would be like if I had to go through this alone, and immediately buried my face into his chest and tightly wrapping my arms around him.

  
"I don't know if I said this already, but thank you for trusting me. And thank you for being the best, most _amazing_ friend I've ever had."

  
He didn't _say_ anything, but I felt his arm wrap around me in response. 

  
And really, that was all I needed.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Vincent sighed softly as he shifted on the couch in order to make himself more comfortable, a small smile slipping onto his face at the fact Castalia's hold remained firm even in sleep. He found that he could not begrudge her the comfort she found in hugging him, since she no doubt still needed assurance that he wasn't going to leave her. His hand settled atop her head like so many times before, but this time, he also allowed his fingers to gently thread through her hair as his thoughts continued to drift.

  
In many ways, Castalia _was_ a child, despite having experienced a previous life.

  
She was more mature and intelligent, of that there was no doubt, and what knowledge she had retained of the events to come gave her a distinct advantage over many, but...there was still a lingering innocence in her. Perhaps it had been the loving family she had been part of in both lives that had helped her keep it, or maybe it was a physiological reaction to her now younger body. Regardless of the reason, the fact remained that for all that she knew, and for all that she had lost, she was still so naive to the ways of the world- or _this_ one, at least. It made it difficult for him to see her as the adult she claimed to be. Of course, her behavior and the years that he had thought she _was_ as young as she looked had not helped.

  
So, it really was understandable that he still felt like he needed to protect her.

  
They would not be able to avoid the coming conflict despite their best efforts to the contrary, and he could see that Castalia was beginning to realize it. In order to truly make a difference, something needed to be done _differently_ \- and the only ones capable of such were the two of them. Avoiding ShinRa would be impossible, but he could not be the one to interact with them at the risk of anyone recognizing him. No, he would have to remain in the shadows while Castalia drew attention to herself. 

  
He hated it.

  
Child. Adult. It didn't matter what she was or what she considered herself to be. In the end, she was still younger than him. She had still found a place in his heart so deep, and latched on so tightly, that he couldn't imagine his life without her anymore. In just a few years, she had changed _everything_...and he found that he didn't really mind.

  
It had been a long time since he'd felt so at peace.

  
One day, he knew she would have a better understanding of this world. One day, she would be helping him with the planning instead of entrusting everything to him. One day, she would have to fight (although he was certain that circumstances would have to be dire for Castalia to ever find herself without his support). But, for now, he was content to handle things if it meant keeping that burden from her for just a little more. 

  
He would protect her smile.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
I winced as my fingers hardened, and added a curse for good measure before reaching for the Remedy bag I'd prepared especially for this.

  
"I _hate_ making Soft," I grumbled.

  
Unfortunately, there was an increased demand for it over in Wutai, which meant I would have to endure while I finished with the orders. 

  
It wasn't that it was _difficult_ to make Softs, exactly. It was just that the process was best done by hand, and said process required some unfortunate contact with the petrifying poison of various monsters in order to make an effective cure (this particular venom soaked through leather/fabric gloves anyway, and don't even get me _started_ on the rubber ones). So, the fingers of everyone involved in item synthesis had to suffer for the good of all.

  
Well, at least I'd never have to worry about my hands being too delicate for whatever reason.

  
"You sure are making a lot of those."

  
I jumped at the sudden voice, but relaxed when I turned to see Cloud sitting at the end of my work table. He had his head resting on his folded arms, curiosity in his expression as he looked at the Softs I had already prepared and packaged.

  
I smiled teasingly, happy to have an excuse to take a break. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

  
Cloud grimaced, and I couldn't help but snicker a bit at his expression. To Ma's great consternation, Cloud's attitude toward school after the accident was one of the things that seemed to be a permanent change.

  
"They're talking about boring stuff."

  
I warily eyed the Remedy in my hand for a moment before sighing and popping the deceivingly plain looking sphere into my mouth. When I bit down on it, I couldn't help but give a grimace of my own at the taste. At least the texture was okay...

  
I still swore my next project would be how to make them palatable without sacrificing their effectiveness, though.

  
"Yeah? Wut kin' of stuff?" 

  
It was kind of funny that, for all Cloud seemed set on rebelling on certain things, he shared Ma's disapproval whenever I spoke with my mouth full (which was only really when I felt like messing with them)- he even had the same flat stare! A stare he was giving me now, might I add. 

  
"Just stuff," he said after a moment, rolling his eyes when I swallowed theatrically and grinned at him. 

  
"You don't even know what today's lesson is, do you?"

  
He huffed, a slight tinge of pink dusting his cheeks as he looked away.

  
I laughed. "You might want to start thinking about what you're going to tell Ma when she finds out you skipped again, Chicky. Because you _know_ Tifa's going to come looking for you after school."

  
"I know," he sighed, lacking any real irritation in his voice. 

  
As the only other child her age who was getting lessons from Master Zangan, it was a given that Tifa would be closer to Cloud now than in the "story" I remembered. Whenever she had a free moment, she was either talking his ears off or beating him to the ground (and hadn't _that_ been a funny sight the first time I'd witnessed it). It was a wonder that Cloud hadn't gotten annoyed with her yet, like most little boys probably would, but he seemed to enjoy her company regardless of what she was doing. Cloud was just awesome like that, I guess.

  
Or, it could have been the fact that Ma would kill him if he ever made her cry, but I liked to think it's the first one.

  
"Anyway," I began, with a tone that clearly indicated a subject change, "-to answer your curiosity, this is an order that Cole got in about a week ago. Seems like Wutai got ahold of something that lets them petrify others, and since the war is far from any natural source of that, the soldiers didn't have too many antidotes on hand. Needless to say, there's been a crazy demand for it."

  
Cloud frowned a bit before reaching over and grabbing my hand. He then proceeded to inspect it so carefully it was amusing.

  
"Your fingers are still kind of hard," he pointed out after a minute. "Isn't Remedy supposed to fix that?"

  
"It's a side effect of repeated exposure to the poison," a smooth voice cut in, badly startling the two of us (and I _really_ needed to start being more aware of my surroundings when I wasn't fighting or pulling ninja moves). "It should go away in time once she stops working with it."

  
I looked up and practically felt my heart stop when I realized just who it was that had spoken.

  
"M-Mr. Tuesti!"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud didn't like Castalia's tunnel vision tendencies. It didn't happen all of the time, but it was still a dangerous habit to have at all. If anyone with the intent to injure her- or _worse_ -were to sneak up on her while she was working on something...Well, maybe Minerva would have mercy on them because he certainly wouldn't. Still, he couldn't help a slight rush of relief this time, since those same tendencies made her completely miss his gaping expression.

  
Not that the same thing could be said in reverse.

  
For instance, Reeve's 'oh, don't mind me, I'm a nice guy' smile was just as disarming now as it had been in the future. "I'm sorry if I interrupted anything, but since you told me you worked here in your letters, I thought I'd check to see if you were in before trying your home."

  
How in Gaia's name did he know where they lived? Hell, how did he even know Cast-

  
_'...He's the one she's been writing to, isn't he?'_

  
Okay...he could deal with that. Reeve was probably the best person Castalia could have ended up in contact with, all things considered. He was honest, and he genuinely cared about the people's wellbeing. He wouldn't have to worry about anything _too_ bad happening if she stuck to him while ShinRa was in Nibelheim.

  
"I-It's fine. I was almost done, anyway."

  
His smile softened. "Really? If you're sure." 

  
...What he had decidedly more trouble with was the fact that Castalia seemed to be _blushing_.

  
When she nodded and shyly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, he knew he was scowling. She wasn't _allowed_ to look cute- not when there was a guy involved, anyway. And that red on her cheeks? Yeah, that had to go. Now, preferably.

  
"In any case, it's nice to finally meet you in person, Miss Allen. I've been looking forward to speaking with you."

  
Castalia seemed to collect herself, looked up, and _beamed_. "Same here!"

  
_'He's a **friend**. He helps me fight Sephiroth, so killing him isn't going to do anyone any favors. Besides, it's just a puppy crush. Nothing serious...'_

  
He was actually dreading the day his sister had anything more than a puppy crush if he was already having this much trouble with it.

  
That thought managed to give him pause and cleared his head enough so that he could look at Castalia with a slight, almost unnoticeable smile of his own.

  
_'When did I accept you completely as my sister, I wonder? It wasn't recent...but I don't think it was that long ago, either. All I know is that before I even realized it, I let you get so close that I would do anything for you...'_

  
It scared him, to be honest. Just like he'd been scared when he'd realized just how much he cared for Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel. It was a sort of paralyzing feeling, knowing that someone could use those same connections to hurt him in ways he didn't even want to think about. Part of him didn't ever want to be hurt that way again.

  
_Green haze giving way to grey rain and **redredblood** -_

  
_"My pride and dreams...I'm giving them all to you."_

  
But...as much as they hurt, it was those same connections that made everything worth it. He could smile again because of them. He was _alive_ again because of them. So, while the risk would always be there, he would protect the ones that held his heart until his very last breath, because... 

  
"Cloud? Hey, you okay?"

  
He blinked and turned to Castalia, who was looking at him in concern.

  
"Where's that guy?"

  
She smiled with a hint of fond exasperation. "His name is Reeve Tuesti, Cloud. He's the Head of Urban Development in ShinRa, and I told him to go on ahead when I noticed you were zoning out. Now come on, you know Cole doesn't like it when you're here alone."

  
Because to give them up without a fight was to stop living, and he was nothing if not stubborn.

  
"Okay."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

  
So, yeah, no plan survives contact with the enemy. Reeve and the rest of ShinRa have arrived a few days ahead of schedule, which really threw Castalia off since she had still been mentally preparing herself for it. What this will cause remains to be seen.


	10. Prelude: ShinRa in Nibelheim (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of ShinRa's visit to Nibelheim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **FF.Net Notes:**
> 
> On a lighthearted note, the shippers have been forming and it's all very amusing. Honestly, I'm not thinking about a serious romance for Castalia right now, but I'm pretty sure that a number of you have been wearing your Vintalia goggles since around chapter two or three. It's gotten the most support thus far, but I can say right now that all of Cass and Vin's interactions to date are completely platonic. As for the future...Well, I can see them getting exasperated with people's speculation as to their exact relationship and trolling them for the hell of it, but that's just me. 
> 
> I am sorry to say that one ship will most definitely be sinking today, however. You'll know which before the end of this chapter.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**ShinRa in Nibelheim (Part 1)**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 1**

  
Okay...I could deal with this. Vincent had planned far enough in advance that ShinRa arriving a bit early wasn't going to do too much damage...I just wished I'd had a little more time to prepare _myself_ for this.

  
Was I really ready?

  
A part of me felt like I was a step away from hyperventilating as I closed the shop door, moreso when I saw all the people- _ShinRa_ -walking around from the corner of my eyes. This was it. There would be no more time to go over possible scenarios in my mind. Everything I did from here on out was the real deal and would have very real effects on the future.

  
Navy blue joined the crowd. 

  
I swallowed, doing my best to ignore how dry my mouth seemed to have become.

  
"Castalia?"

  
It was sheer luck that I didn't flinch in surprise, but I was grateful. Cloud looked concerned enough as it was, and the last thing I wanted was to let him know anything was wrong. Especially now. 

  
"Ah, it's nothing," I said, turning to him with a (hopefully convincing) smile. "Just trying to remember if I forgot anything before we join up with Mr. Tuesti. You know how I can be sometimes."

  
Relief filled me as my comment garnered a teasing smile. "Only sometimes?"

  
_'You can do this,'_ I told myself as I playfully rolled my eyes in response. _'You just need to focus. It'll be fine...It_ has _to be.'_

  
It wasn't just my well being on the line, after all.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Nibelheim was a charming town, Reeve decided.

  
He doubted he could live here himself, but there was something to be said about a town settled in the mountains. It was rustic. Peaceful. Almost like the setting to the fairy tales his mother would read to him when he was a child. Also, despite the fact that a mako reactor was a little under two miles away, the air was fresh, and thus far he'd noted minimal signs of mutation in the environment- all of which were easily reversible at their current stage. Overall, quite well off considering the Nibelheim reactor had been one of the first to be built.

  
He filed the thought away for later, instead turning his attention to the girl who'd become a pen-pal of sorts over the last few months.

  
"I guess you guys finished early in the last town? You're here earlier than what you told me you'd be."

  
"Ah, well, the dates I gave you were more of an estimate, really. Though I suppose we did finish work on the last reactor rather quickly."

  
He knew she was intelligent- the letters they'd exchanged were proof of that -but it was, admittedly, more than a bit difficult to connect them to someone that looked so _young_. If it hadn't been for the fact that she'd been in the process of synthesizing, he might not have believed it. As it was, he still having trouble connecting the complexity of their discussions to the youthful face. He would have thought something like that would be easier, given his own intelligence at that age, but it was turning out to be a different experience as the outsider looking in as opposed to the other way around.

  
Perhaps he was getting old.

  
_'Not a thought I want to have when I'm only in my twenties,'_ he thought wryly.

  
Still...maybe that was all it was, or at least part of the explanation (he had to bite back a chuckle as he recalled flushed cheeks and a shy smile). Nevertheless, he hadn't gotten to where he was by passing things off so easily. He was many things- some of which were better left unsaid -but he was thorough in everything he did. He would keep a figurative eye on Castalia Allen for now. Perhaps, like him, there was more to her than she let on.

  
"Castalia, come _on_."

  
Her brother, on the other hand, was proving much easier to figure out.

  
He could no longer hold back his amusement at the look the small blond sent him before grabbing his sister's hand and pulling ahead. The boy- Cloud, he reminded himself -had yet to leave her side since his arrival, and always made sure to interrupt whenever Castalia grew flustered during the tour of the town. It was cute. Part of him almost wanted to make an excuse to visit from time to time in the future, if only to see how he acted when she was seriously dating someone. It promised to be very entertaining.

  
Thoughts for later, he supposed. For now, he figured he'd enjoy the brief change of pace before focusing on the reactors.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud had forgotten just how uncomfortable ShinRa made him.

  
The people walking around now weren't the subdued, struggling group he had grown used to seeing post-Sephiroth (bar the Turks, but he doubted that would ever change). In fact, the sudden return to the prideful, near arrogant, air of before was jarring and made him more than a bit uneasy. Each blue suit and white coat that passed by was a reminder of times he'd really prefer not to think about. Even Reeve- who seemed to be involved in a discussion on the local wildlife with Castalia as they walked -wasn't the idealistic, but competent leader of the WRO he remembered. 

  
Right now he was ShinRa, just like the rest (and perhaps that, more than anything, made him feel off-kilter).

  
Resisting the urge to sigh, Cloud pushed all of that to the back of his mind. Instead, he focused on dragging his wayward sister home for lunch, since Castalia didn't seem inclined to listen to him right now (he would forever deny that a part of him really _was_ a bit jealous over that, seeing as she'd almost _always_ put him first for everything). Maybe she would stop being so distracted once their da made his disapproval known. 

  
Sure enough, it was with a carefully hidden smirk that he watched Matt stare Reeve down about half an hour later. Not that everything was going perfectly- Ma was giving him a look and Castalia rolled her eyes when she thought no one was looking, but he could live with that. Better exasperation than that admiring look from earlier.

  
Although to be fair, she'd been toning it down even before they'd made it back.

  
He was pulled out of these thoughts by a snuffling near his knee. With a more genuine smile, he looked down at pleading amber eyes on a tan and white face. He didn't really remember just how Lilo the dog had come to live with them (or how they had come up with such a strange name), but he couldn't deny that he liked her. She was affectionate, protective, and obedient- traits that he loved seeing in canines. He vaguely recalled one of his "before" memories, where Castalia was trying to train her, refusing to allow the small puppy to gain bad habits. It was interspersed with muttering and determined looks, but his younger self hadn't paid it too much attention at the time.

  
A quick glance around the table, and a small piece of carrot found its way into her mouth.

  
" _Cloud_."

  
He winced. How his mother always seemed to _know_ , he wasn't sure. All he could say was that he was glad she wasn't mako enhanced- although when he really thought about it, he wasn't sure that would really make much of a difference. A scary thing to think about, but true nonetheless. Unfortunately, his (admittedly routine) spoiling of Lilo was ruined when Reeve laughed, painfully making his presence known once more when the sound of it caused Castalia to look down with a pink tint to her cheeks.

  
_'That's it,'_ he thought, giving the man a flat stare before locking gazes with Lilo again. _'I'm teaching you how to chase away any guy who isn't me or Da that gets near her.'_

  
He took the tilt of her head as a sign of agreement.

  
"You said you're the head of Urban Development?" he heard his ma ask. "I don't believe I've heard of that department before..."

  
"It's relatively new," Reeve replied. "It had only been around a few months or so before I took over, and it is an admittedly small department compared to the rest. Apart from the reactors, I've also taken over the last bit of building going on in Midgar as well as the tentative plans for the restoration of Sector 6. Those sorts of projects used to be under the jurisdiction of all the executives, but as they were all focused on other things, President Shinra saw fit to set the task to one person."

  
"So you were hired specifically for that reason?"

  
"Well, not exactly," he said with a chuckle. "I've actually been with the company for quite a while, working in Research and Development. However, I was chosen for the position due to my studies in economics. They must have figured that I would know how to get the best results for the least amount of money. I'm not complaining really, but it is rather amusing to think about."

  
Huh, he hadn't known that. He'd always assumed Reeve had proposed the idea himself.

  
"So, you didn't know anything about land development when you started?" Castalia asked in surprise. "I always thought- you seem so knowledgeable on the subject..."

  
"A result of much studying, I assure you. In a few years, I'm sure you'll know just as much."

  
Castalia smiled shyly. "Oh. Thanks."

  
Matt cleared his throat, seemingly torn between whether to be pleased at the confidence of the statement or disgruntled at the fact that Reeve's attention had more or less shifted back to his daughter again. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a frustrated expression on Castalia's face before she stood up, but it was gone too quickly to be sure.

  
"I think I'm done. Mr. Tuesti?"

  
"I believe I'm finished as well," he agreed. "Thank you for the wonderful meal, Mrs. Strife."

  
"Don't mention it. No, no, Cassie, I'll get the dishes. I'm sure you have more things to talk about with Mr. Tuesti, so Cloud will help me tidy up."

  
He stiffened. "But Ma-"

  
"See? Happy to help. Isn't that right?"

  
The problem with not having his mother around for years, he realized, was that he couldn't seem to refuse anything she asked of him. With a sigh, he could only nod and grumble to himself as he watched his sister walk out the door.

  
At least Matt was on his side. "Honey-"

  
She sighed and smiled in fond exasperation. "You're lucky that you're being overprotective in a cute way rather than an annoying one."

  
Matt gave a funny sort of squawk of protest. "It's not being overprotective-"

  
"Isn't it?" she asked with a chuckle before kissing his cheek. "Relax and trust in Cassie. Even if Mr. Tuesti _did_ try something- which I doubt as he doesn't seem the type -our girl's tough enough to kick up quite the fuss. He wouldn't make it two steps before either she put a stop to it or someone else did it for her."

  
"I...suppose you have a point..."

  
"Of course I do. Now, as endearing as I find your behavior when it comes to the topic of Castalia and boys, would you mind helping Cloud tidy up? I'm feeling a bit worn out."

  
As he watched his surrogate father scramble to clean up as quickly as he could, he realized that his mother's influence over him may not have been due to the time travel as much as he'd thought.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_'I wonder if Vincent's doing alright. It's been a while since the scientists started making their way to the mansion...'_

  
I resisted the urge to look over, knowing that it wouldn't do me any good. Still, despite knowing that his plan was sound, I couldn't help but worry. I hadn't seen Hojo, but Reeve had pretty much confirmed his presence. All it would take was one little slip- one ripple from the butterfly effect I was undoubtedly causing -and it would blow everything out of the water. He would know that Vincent was still alive, and if he knew Vincent was alive, he would keep a closer eye on Sephiroth. He might even decide to accelerate his plans and push him into insanity before anyone would be able to stop him.

  
That was the worst of the nightmare scenarios my brain had come up with.

  
"Are you all right?"

  
I gave a slight start as the question brought me out of my thoughts. To my chagrin, I noticed I had started falling behind, causing Reeve to stop and look at me in a mix of concern and curiosity.

  
"I'm fine," I brushed off, hoping the smile I sent him didn't look as nervous as I felt. "I just have a lot on my mind."

  
Reeve remained silent, and I inwardly panicked a bit when his gaze seemed to flicker in the very direction that I'd avoided. How he even suspected it was anyone's guess, but I wasn't about to ask. Instead, I just felt relief when he dropped the subject, although I very much doubted it was forgotten.

  
These past few hours were really pointing out how incredibly ( _frighteningly_ ) intelligent he was.

  
After that, we continued on. Unfortunately, the truth was that as much as the town had flourished under the increased income I'd inadvertently brought about, Nibelheim was still small. So, it didn't take long before there was nothing left to show Reeve. He didn't seem to mind and instead decided to follow me back to the shop, where Cole was quick to introduce himself and start talking.

  
I let myself relax a bit, content to have a moment to myself after hours of interaction.

  
Since the almost mindless task of sweeping was currently really appealing, I busied myself with that while keeping half of my attention on them. I quickly found that, despite his lack of interest in matters that didn't concern him, his business, or the town, Cole didn't have any trouble striking up a conversation. It was probably the salesman in him, but it was still interesting to listen to. I knew he was smart- he had to be. He'd not only taught me the basics of item synthesis, but he also made a majority of the non-synthesized items we sold, as well as managed the store. Intelligence was pretty much a given. Still, he rarely went over any specifics. Hearing him talk shop was fascinating.

  
Of course, then he had to ruin it by bringing the attention back to me.

  
"Cassie's been workin' with me 'bout seven years now," he told Reeve with a wide grin. "The first few years was just teachin', but she picked it up quick. Made her first potion when she was eleven."

  
I let my burning face fall into my hands while repressing a helpless laugh. It seemed that being an adult in mind didn't spare a person from feeling embarrassment over comments like that, although it _was_ mixed with a sort of pleased amusement. Cole almost sounded like a proud parent, bragging about their kid. 

  
"Quite the accomplishment," Reeve nodded in agreement. "She's your apprentice, then?"

  
"Well...as close to one as you can get, I guess. Gotta admit, she knows a few things I don't now. It's the reason I wanted her to learn- I'm no good at it."

  
"I was never much for item synthesis myself. My specialty is in machines."

  
"Machines, eh? Might get along with her old man, then. From what I hear, he knows his way around them too."

  
Reeve coughed lightly into his hand, but it sounded more like he was trying to hide a chuckle. "Is that so? I'll be sure to ask."

  
"He's usually free in the afternoon," Cole provided. "Mornin's no good since he'll be out with some of the others makin' sure we don't have wolves and the like prowlin' around."

  
"Ah. I'll keep that in mind."

  
"Mr. Tuesti?"

  
I looked up at the new voice and found that it belonged to a young man. Maybe a year or two older than I was with an angular face, black hair, and honest to goodness _amber_ eyes. I might have stared for a moment, but eye colors were something I liked looking at. This guy had eyes on par with Vincent and Cloud in how pretty they were. Seriously, at times their eyes looked like they were _glowing_.

  
Oh man, I sounded like some kind of creeper, didn't I...

  
"Oh, Ryuu. Am I needed for something?"

  
I felt a bit of confusion and, despite my best effort, a bit of apprehension at the name. Other than Master Zangan, it was the most oriental sounding name I'd heard in a long time, and in this life, those tended to come from Wutai. While I _knew_ that they weren't the bad guys in this conflict, I couldn't stop years of propaganda from having _some_ kind of an effect on me.

  
The best lies had the basis of truth to them, after all, and Wutai hadn't exactly been twiddling their thumbs in this war.

  
He- Ryuu -probably knew as much too, if the heavy sigh was any indication. " _Mr. Tuesti_ , with respect, I really would appreciate it if you didn't use my first name."

  
"SOLDIER Teneil, then," Reeve complied. "My apologies."

  
Ryuu smiled slightly. "I just don't want to make the people here uncomfortable. Anyway, you've got a call."

  
"A call...? Ah," he smiled, "-that'd be the missus, I think. I'd better take that. Why don't you stay here and mingle while I'm gone?"

  
"But, I'm not supposed to min-"

  
"Please excuse me, Castalia, Mr. Cole," he cut off, giving us a brief glance before turning back to the newcomer. "Be sure to actually _converse_ , Ryuu! I'll be back in a while!"

  
"Don't call me-! Never mind. I don't even know why I bother with him," the teen muttered when he realized the man was already gone. "He's as bad as Dad."

  
I was still staring at where the head of Urban Development had been standing, completely confused. "He has a _wife_?"

  
I think I vaguely remembered reading something along the lines of him having a family once, but I didn't recall that until he'd mentioned it. It made sense, I guess, seeing as he was in his mid-twenties- that was about the time most people settled down in the more urban places. In the rural areas, it was more in the sixteen to twenty range (thank you again, Da, for that random fact of life).

  
As for me...well, I couldn't say I _wasn't_ disappointed, exactly, but I think a part of me had known nothing would ever happen. Regardless of mental age, I think that would've been a little strange.

  
Cloud and Da would be happy, I'm sure.

  
"Girlfriend, actually," Ryuu told us. "But he's been with her long enough that it's really just a matter of time. Gaia knows how much I've had to endure his prattling."

  
I laughed a bit while a memory from my other life came to mind. I barely remembered the details of most of the animes I'd seen before, but Fullmetal Alchemist had been one of my favorites, and its characters were memorable enough that it still lingered. Comparing Reeve's behavior with Maes Hughes only brought a rush of fond nostalgia rather than the slight pang I'd come to expect when thinking about the life I'd left behind, and a part of me was inordinately proud.

  
It was kind of ridiculous, considering it had taken me years to get to this point, but I was proud nonetheless.

  
"You know him well then?" Cole asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

  
"Well enough. He's made it a point to talk to everyone in our group."

  
"Seems the type," he said with a nod of agreement. "So, can I interest you in anything? Got a lot to choose from."

  
I rolled my eyes fondly at the question. Cole was ever the diligent businessman.

  
"Maybe later, Mr...Cole, was it?"

  
"Just Cole is fine, no need to add titles. And this here's Castalia."

  
I smiled and waved when he turned to look at me. He seemed nice enough, but something about him was also kind of familiar. Maybe he just had one of those faces? I'm pretty sure I hadn't met him before today...

  
He just grinned and gave a short, flourishing bow (goofball or just dramatic?) "Hmm, I guess you already know my name, but...SOLDIER Third Class Ryuu Teneil at your service. Due to the aforementioned fact that my name is Wutaiian in nature- and because some people had difficulty pronouncing it -everyone calls me Lou. Or Lu Ten when they feel like poking a bit of fun at me."

  
_...What?_

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
She was funny.

  
"I can clean it up, I swear."

  
Okay, it was more than that, Ryuu admitted to himself with a snicker. His new acquaintance was too busy apologizing to the shopkeeper for what seemed to be a rock-hard mass stuck to one of the worktables to notice his amusement.

  
"Just clean it up before he gets back."

  
"Not that I won't, but...I don't see how that'll make a difference. Not only did he already say he wasn't interested in buying anything, but I'm pretty sure he already saw it."

  
Whatever it was, it was something that made her stick out. Then again, it wasn't like he'd really been paying attention to anyone lately, being so occupied in trying to move up in SOLDIER and all. Maybe she just seemed different after not having much one on one interaction with people in a while.

  
" _Castalia_."

  
"I know, I know. Sorry, Cole."

  
...Well, that, and she was kind of cute.

  
"Mind if I help?"

  
He had the feeling that she'd forgotten he was there if the way she jumped was any indication. Or she had terrible environmental awareness. Probably both. The shopkeeper certainly hadn't been surprised.

  
Speaking of which-

  
"Sure, kid. Prob'ly gonna need some muscle to pull that rock off the table."

  
He smiled, feeling it widen at her indignant protest. "I'll do my best."

  
"Go ahead and come back here, then. I'll be in the front, so holler if ya need anything."

  
He quickly made his way over, and then the shopkeeper was gone. Silence fell for a brief moment before she spoke. "You don't have to help. I'm sure you have other things to do."

  
"Not really," he said with a shrug. "I know I may have given that impression earlier, but work at the reactor doesn't actually start until tomorrow." He smiled, hoping it would make her feel at ease. "And I've already set my stuff at the inn, so I've got a few hours to kill. I'd be happy to help out."

  
She smiled back. "Thanks, then."

  
"Don't mention it."

  
The next few minutes were spent inspecting the white lump they were to clean.

  
"Jeez, it's really stuck on there," he heard her mutter under her breath. "Might not be able to pull it off at all...Maybe I can use a Soft?"

  
"What is it, exactly?"

  
She sighed, a slightly embarrassed expression slipping onto her face as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Basically? Petrified dough."

  
"Petrified- _really_?"

  
"Yeah. I was a bit careless today."

  
He couldn't quite stop the snort of laughter that escaped him.

  
"Laugh it up. I'm willing to bet you've made your own share of mistakes."

  
"Oh, I'm not even going to bother denying that," he admitted with a widening grin. "But my dad always said that it's better to find amusement in such cases. Something about making it easier to learn from."

  
She blinked, then laughed. "I don't hear that too often. Your da sounds like an interesting guy."

  
"You wouldn't be the first to think that, actually. Although most people only say it once they see how much he loves tea- especially jasmine tea. I swear he's addicted."

  
"Must be hard for him then," she mused, even as something on her face shifted- as if trying to remember something that she'd forgotten. "Unless I'm wrong, isn't Wutai the main provider of tea in the market?"

  
He sighed. "Sure is. He's already mentioned the travesty of the embargo in some of the letters he's sent. Luckily, he doesn't have too much time to dwell on it, or it would be much worse."

  
"Oh? Does he travel a lot or something?"

  
"I guess you could say that. He's actually a general for ShinRa's army. He's been stationed in Wutai for a while now." She seemed to choke on thin air at that, surprising him for a moment. "Something the matter?"

  
"N-No. No. Just surprised. I didn't think you had such an important guy in your family."

  
"Hmm, I guess it is pretty shocking. I honestly don't really think about it. My family has been military oriented for generations- at least that's what my dad tells me. I certainly haven't had any reason to doubt. My uncle Osric currently works as an instructor in ShinRa, and we have records of my grandfather and great-grandfather's service time. I'm pretty sure my little cousins Zian and Alani want to join up in the future too and even our moms-"

  
He felt himself trail off at her expression, silently cursing his tendency to ramble. She looked completely overwhelmed and- was that incredulity? Huh, that was a little strange. Maybe he was just imagining it.

  
"Uh...What about you?" he asked a bit lamely. 

  
Luckily, she didn't point it out. "What do you mean?"

  
"Well, you have fighting experience too, right?"

  
He wondered if this was just a bad topic overall when her eyes widened in surprise.

  
"H-How did you-?!"

  
"I-I wasn't completely sure," he hastened to explain. "You drag your feet too much, and it looks like you have to remind yourself to make your movements controlled and even, but you still carry yourself differently from most of the people in town. Since I heard there was a martial arts instructor living here, I thought you might have been one of his students."

  
"Oh..." She fidgeted nervously. "A-And here I thought I was doing a good job."

  
"You are!" he assured her. "Trust me, it takes a long time to have it feel natural. You're just a beginner, right? You'll get the hang of it."

  
For a moment, he could have sworn she wanted to laugh, but it quickly passed. "Thanks. Now, let's see if we can loosen this before trying to pull it off."

  
He nodded, then sighed almost inaudibly when she turned around to inspect the white blob once more.

  
It was definitely the lack of social interaction, he decided. That couldn't have been more awkward if he'd _tried_.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud sighed as he relaxed in the living room of his home, a multitude of thoughts running through his mind.

  
Home...It was amazing how much his perspective on that had changed since starting this second life.

  
He'd never really considered the Nibelheim of the past- the one he'd never dared to step foot in after he'd regained his memories -home. It had merely been a place he and his mother had been forced to live in until he could find a way to get them away. Now...

  
Well, now this was the first place he thought of when he thought of home.

  
He couldn't say he was upset, exactly. Even though Tifa's bar had been the closest thing to a home he'd had in the life he'd left behind, it still hadn't really felt...right. He could relax, and he had felt welcome, but there was always that slight feeling of not belonging. The one that began to gnaw at him if he stayed too long. The same could be said of Aerith's church, despite the peace he'd found amongst the quiet rippling of the spring.

  
Perhaps he'd just been too used to traveling by then.

  
No, that wasn't quite right either. If that were the case, wouldn't he be having a much harder time? At least then, he could leave of his own volition. Right now, he was effectively stuck until he was a few years older, but that anxious need to _go_ wasn't there. Instead, he was almost content to pass the days here with his new family. Almost, because as nice as it was, he still thought of the future.

  
A future where no one would be safe if there was no one to stop Sephiroth.

  
He closed his eyes and brushed away the pang of fear that had sprung up at the thought. There was no doubt in his mind as to whether or not he would head to Midgar once he was old enough. Not if he wanted to protect the people he cared about. He refused to accept the alternative. 

  
He was brought out of those thoughts when Castalia came through the front door.

  
"You're back," he noted with some surprise (and relief). "Shouldn't you still be at the shop?"

  
"Cole wants to open up early tomorrow, so he closed up for the day," she explained before walking over to the sofa and sitting down with a sigh. "Man, I'm tired..."

  
She _did_ look tired, he realized. There was a pinched look around her eyes, and her body language had the sort of tenseness that usually came from a stressful day. 

  
"What happened?"

  
Castalia must have heard something in his tone since she immediately looked over and smiled slightly. "I'm fine. I just forgot to put away the materials I was using for the Softs when Mr. Tuesti first arrived. The cokatrice err-... venom? Acid? I'm still not sure what to call it -got knocked over at some point while we were gone and spilled on the dough I had set aside for my next batch of Remedies. Long story short, I just spent the past few hours trying to pry the thing off of the table after it all but fused to the surface."

  
He couldn't help but snicker, remembering her earlier stalling at the shop. "So you _did_ forget something after all."

  
"Hush, you. Don't you have any sympathy for your dear older sister?"

  
"Not in this case, no."

  
"Brat," she huffed, even though he could see a grin tugging at her lips. "See if I let you sneak into the shop anymore."

  
"As if Cole doesn't notice when you let me in," he shot back. "Besides, I'm sure you had help."

  
It wasn't in Reeve's nature not to help out, after all.

  
"Well, I guess that's true," she admitted. "I ended up making a new friend, I guess. Sort of." She grimaced slightly. "It was a bit awkward for a while, to be honest."

  
He frowned a bit in confusion. "I thought you were already friends with Mr. Tuesti. Isn't that why you've been exchanging letters?"

  
"He was gone by then. He got a call from his girlfriend and had to leave."

  
Girlfriend? So, he wasn't...

  
Castalia started laughing. "Seriously Cloud, you're a few years too young to play the part of the overprotective older brother, don't you think?"

  
He felt the protest forming, even as a bit of amusement at the irony of that statement mixed in, but she continued before he could say anything. "Look, I know you were worried about me. I appreciate that. Really. But you went about it all wrong. I can take care of myself, so there was no need for you to hover or get Da involved like you did."

  
"You like him," he pointed out.

  
"A crush," she admitted with no hesitation- although there was some embarrassment if the pink on her cheeks was any indication. "And? It wasn't like I was going to throw myself at his feet. I have a little more self-respect than that."

  
His lips twitched, but he managed to hold back his smile. As if knowing this, she grinned in response and got up to face him. "Besides, we both know he has no romantic interest in me whatsoever. So would you stop being an annoying little punk and trust me? I'd appreciate it."

  
The smile finally broke through. "I wasn't _that_ bad."

  
"Don't even try to deny it," she laughed while ruffling his hair. "It was cute, though."

  
He halfheartedly smacked the hand away. "What is it with you and Da always doing that?"

  
"We just can't resist, Chicky. Your hair's so _fabulous_."

  
He rolled his eyes at that but otherwise took it in stride.

  
She just shook her head with a smile and wrapped her arms around him. "Teasing aside, thank you. It's such a silly thing, but it makes me happy."

  
He sighed but returned the embrace. "It's not silly."

  
Still, he could feel himself relax as the tenseness on her face finally faded. "If you say so. Now, has Ma made dinner yet or is Da making it today?"

  
"Da," he told her. "Ma's feeling tired today."

  
She snorted softly. "With how big she's getting, I'm honestly not surprised. Anyway, I'd better go help him out or we'll be eating at the inn again."

  
He nodded, a slight smirk escaping him. "Good luck."

  
Now she was the one to roll her eyes. "You're hilarious. Get out of here, Cloud. I'm sure there's enough time to get your butt kicked by Tifa or something."

  
"That hasn't happened recently," he protested but started making his way to the door nonetheless. "I'll be back later."

  
"See you then."

  
He ended up coming back midway through dinner, covered in dirt and hair an even wilder mess than usual (he wasn't sure if he should be proud or concerned at how good Tifa was getting with those throws), but his arrival was met with smiles and gentle teasing. He took it all in; a light, warm feeling rushing through him as he looked at the family Minerva had gifted him.

  
His mother, alive in more than one way as she tenderly kept a hand to her rounded stomach, looking happier than he could ever remember her being...

  
Matt, grinning and gesturing in an exaggerated manner as he recounted a story from his childhood...

  
And his sister, eyes bright as she laughed freely, with no trace of the tension of before.

  
He continued to watch them, a content smile on his face until he was inevitably pulled into the conversation. He joined in without hesitation- a far cry from the stoic silences he'd been prone to before but here, at least, there was no need for it. He wasn't sure _why_ he was so confident in that fact, only that he was. For the longest time, home and family had been such an abstract concept to him. Now, he felt like he was finally starting to understand.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 2**

  
The next morning was about as hectic as Cole had anticipated. There was a rush as the construction workers woke up and began heading up the mountain trail. I even saw a blue suit or two mixed in the crowd as well, and I definitely saw Ryuu at some point, but I was so busy at the time that I could do no more than wave at him in greeting before my attention was pulled away by something else. 

  
I was happy to be so occupied. It gave me an excuse to limit my interactions with the company- something I desperately needed after yesterday. Being on guard all day was _exhausting_.

  
Part of it was my own fault, as I'd overthought a lot of the questions Reeve had asked and made myself paranoid, but to be fair, he'd asked some rather pointed questions. Then, after seeing how perceptive Ryuu could be, I had been watching practically everything I said and did for the time we were together. Luckily, nothing like that first conversation had come up again, but it had still been pretty draining to monitor all of that in the hopes that no attention could be drawn to me. 

  
_'That's the_ last _thing I need,'_ I thought once things finally slowed down. _'Hopefully, I'll be able to make it through these next two weeks without trouble.'_

  
For now, though, food. The after rush clean-up was done and I'd missed breakfast, so I was starving. 

  
"Cole, I'm gonna get something to eat!" I called out as I grabbed my bag. "Want anything?"

  
"No need to shout, brat," he grumbled from behind one of the shelves. "I'm right here."

  
"I thought you were in the back," I replied with a shrug. "Anyway, I guess I'm getting you some coffee?"

  
I snickered at the glare I received for the comment. A tired Cole was fun to tease, though that wasn't to say he didn't give as good as he got.

  
"As much as I like you bein' my gofer, I think I'll join ya. Those ShinRa folk won't be back for a few hours at least, so I can afford to close up shop for a bit."

  
"Cool. Let's go then. Adventure number one-o-two of Cole and Castalia."

  
"'S too early for this, Cassie," he groaned. 

  
"You only have yourself to blame."

  
He raised a brow in response. "Yeah? How so?"

  
"You're the one that told me to come early."

  
I grinned when he shook his head.

  
Ten minutes later, the two of us were on our way to the inn. Normally, I'd eat at home, but breakfast _there_ was currently a gamble. Plus, I was craving some potato pancakes, and everyone in town knew that the inn had the best potato pancakes. Hopefully, they weren't all gone, but considering how many people were staying...

  
Well, at least it was going to be empty when we got there. Everyone was already at the reactor, including Reeve. He'd mentioned that he had to overlook the beginning of the remodeling even though, by this point, a majority of the workers knew which parts stayed and which had to go. Still, there was always the chance that something would happen, so he had to be there just in case.

  
I really should have remembered to not tempt fate with thoughts like that.

  
The sound of an explosion went off in the distance; loud enough to startle the two of us and strong enough that we felt the ground shake a bit. From where I was standing, I could even see a large plume of smoke rise up into the sky. Despite my best efforts to keep calm, I began to panic. 

  
There wasn't supposed to be an explosion.

  
Reeve had said that the first bit was them just shutting down the reactor for a while so that they could safely drain the mako. It was only _after_ they were done that they would use explosives to begin taking it apart, and it would be nothing that powerful. So, for something that strong to have happened...

  
I hoped it was intentional, despite my doubts. Because if it _wasn't_ , and something- _Jenova_ -got _out_...

  
"Damn it, I thought they knew what they were doing!" Cole swore. "Cassie!"

  
I jerked out of my thoughts at the forceful tone and turned to face him. His expression was nothing I'd ever seen on him before- fierce...and worried.

  
Dread began to grow.

  
"You get to that dojo of yours right now, ya got that?! An explosion that big's bound to bring trouble!"

  
"Trouble?" I thought of the various wildlife and monsters that lived up on the mountains and felt myself go numb with shock. "Y-You don't mean-?!"

  
"Yes! Now, snap out of it and _run_! You'll be safe there!"

  
"Wait, what about-"

  
"I'll be fine!" he cut me off before practically shoving me in the direction of the dojo. " _Move it_! There's no time to waste dawdlin' here!"

  
"R-Right!"

  
My heart felt like it was racing faster than I was as I took off, and my head felt dizzy. It was only the training drilled into me by Vincent and Master Zangan that finally let me shake the worst of it off and keep going. This was _not_ going to turn out like the manor incident. I was better prepared to face monsters this time.

  
Wasn't I?

  
I found my hand gripping onto my materia bangle as I ran.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Tifa smiled as she and her mother walked to the general store. Originally, she'd planned on spending the day with Cloud, but she had to admit that this was nice too. Ever since she had started training with Master Zangan, she hadn't really been spending that much time with her.

  
"I missed this," her mother said with a smile and a laugh, almost as if she'd read her thoughts. "I was afraid you were going to grow up before we had the chance to spend the day together again."

  
"I wouldn't do that, Mama."

  
"Really now? You're already so big, Tifa! And so strong too!"

  
She giggled but resisted the urge to show off. While she didn't think that her mother would mind, this wasn't the time for that. Today was going to be completely free of talk of fighting. She owed her mother that much after she'd let her start training in the first place.

  
"Cloud says the baby is gonna be born soon," she said instead.

  
"Oh! How wonderful! Do they know what it's going to be yet?"

  
"He wouldn't tell me," she huffed. "He said it was a surprise."

  
"I'm sure you'll be the first to know when it is born."

  
"You think?"

  
"Of course. Cloud and Castalia are your friends, aren't they? Not to mention both Skye and Matthew are very fond of you."

  
Her smile came back as she thought the statement over. It was true that she didn't really see Cloud and Castalia interacting with any of the other kids- except the few times the village girls cornered Castalia, but that didn't count. She did wonder about that sometimes (didn't they get lonely?) but for the most part, it actually made her feel special that she was the only one they actively looked for on occasion.

  
"You're right. And if not, then Cloud's gonna get it!"

  
Her mother laughed, making her grin as they continued walking. A few minutes later, she spotted another pair coming up the path opposite of them and felt like laughing too. It _was_ kind of funny that she would show up while they were talking about her, after all.

  
"Look, Mama! It's Cassie and Mr. Falkov!"

  
The two of them looked like they were having another one of their silly fights- the ones where they kept arguing but seemed to have fun at the same time. She didn't really see the point of them, but they seemed to enjoy it, so she didn't bother thinking about it too much.

  
"I can see that. Why don't you say hello?"

  
She had been raising her hand to do just that when a boom made her pause. The shaking that followed only made it worse, and she forgot about it completely when Mr. Falkov seemed to change. He looked kind of mad, and he was shouting at Cassie.

  
"Tifa, sweetie, we need to go."

  
He _pushed_ her!

  
Tifa looked up at her mother in surprise, but she didn't notice. Instead, she was looking over at the smoke that was coming up from the mountains. "But, shouldn't we help Cassie?"

  
"What?" Her mother blinked and turned to look before shaking her head. "There's nothing to worry about. Besides, she should be making her way over in a bit."

  
"Huh?"

  
She was right. Almost as soon as she'd said that, Cassie started running toward them while Mr. Falkov ran somewhere else. At first, the older girl didn't see them, but once she got close enough, she seemed surprised, then _scared_.

  
Why was she scared? What the heck was going on?

  
"Cassie? Why are you-"

  
"Sorry, Tifa," she said before taking a deep breath and looking over at the mountains. "There's no time to explain. We have to get to the dojo as quick as we can, okay?"

  
"The dojo? But, Master Zangan said there was no training today..."

  
"I don't think he'd mind if we paid him a visit," her mother cut in. "I-I've been meaning to invite him over for dinner, so why don't we go now?"

  
"Weren't we going to the-"

  
"We'll go later, Tifa. The store's closed right now, anyway."

  
"That's right! I'm not there, and Cole went to get something to eat."

  
Something wasn't right.

  
She frowned. "Did he really go get food? Why was Mr. Falkov yelling at you?"

  
"Tifa, please. We should _really_ -" Castalia started before her eyes widened at something behind them. " _Get down_!"

  
She couldn't stop a short cry of surprise and pain as she was knocked to the ground, but any thought of yelling at the older girl for tackling them was forgotten when she figured out _why_.

  
"M-Mama..."

  
"Castalia, w-what-?!"

  
"Seriously!? I knew sonic speeds were fast, but I didn't think-!"

  
"Mama..."

  
"What do we do?!"

  
"We have to get to the dojo! I-It should be safe there!"

  
Terror seized her when she realized that Castalia was trembling. She'd never seen her like that before- her eyes wide, her face pale, and her voice not nearly as steady as usual.

  
It struck her then that Castalia wasn't just scared, but _terrified_.

  
"Mamaaa!" she wailed. 

  
Immediately, she felt her mother's arms wrap around her and lift her up onto her feet.

  
"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. I need you to be strong, alright? Like you are with Master Zangan."

  
Right. _Strong_. She had to be strong. She couldn't be strong if she was scared.

  
_'But...Castalia is...'_

  
No. She couldn't think like that. Besides, even if Castalia was scared, she was still getting up. That's what she had to do too.

  
"We need to go _now_! Whatever you do, don't stop running!"

  
"Right!"

  
It was so _hard_ , though! At first, it was only because her mother was pulling her forward that she was able to move at all. All she could feel was fear and the thudding of her heart as they ran from the swarm of monsters.

  
(Was the swarm really that big or was she imagining that the sun had gone out?)

  
Hadn't something like this happened to Cloud and Castalia a few years ago...? The memory was fuzzy, but she kind of remembered them being brought out of the old ShinRa house by her master. How had they gotten through that?

  
"Duck!"

  
She flinched as a burst of heat passed overhead, and couldn't help but stare at the monster that fell to the ground. It was the first time she'd seen one so close, and had things been different, she might have been curious. Now, however, she wanted nothing to do with it.

  
"Close your eyes!"

  
The light that flashed in front of her was nearly blinding even through her eyelids, and the loud crack of thunder left her ears ringing. When she opened them a moment later, spots on the ground were charred around them, and three more monsters were lying there twitching.

  
"Those aren't dead, so we need to keep moving before they-!" 

  
Castalia cut off what whatever she was going to say with a choked curse and quickly shot another fireball. Instead of hitting the flying monsters, though, it hit one that looked like a giant bug.

  
" _Kyuvilduns_ ," she said, a bit of panic slipping into her voice. "Of _course_ there's kyuvilduns now! Why _wouldn't_ there be?!"

  
" _Castalia_!"

  
She gave a start at her mother's sharp tone while Castalia jerked, turned to look at them, and seemed to flinch a bit before seeming to shake herself out of whatever she was thinking. "S-Sorry. Let's go."

  
They started running again, but it was much slower now that the other monsters had arrived. More than once, they had to go in a completely different direction in order to avoid large groups of them. Some of them only passed through, while some of the bugs and flying ones were attacking each other, but the rest...

  
"Castalia? Castalia, what's wrong?!"

  
She quickly brought her attention back at her mother's worried tone, only to see her friend slightly hunched over, hands on her knees and sweat beading her brow as she caught her breath.

  
It was then that she also noticed they weren't alone anymore.

  
"Cassie!"

  
It was like a switch had been turned on. Suddenly, the forms and screams of the other villagers rushed in, nearly overwhelming her. Some of the ones who had been caught outside had joined them and were shouting encouragement even though they looked as scared as she felt. A few of them were trying to knock away the monsters while they were standing there, but even she could see that it didn't hurt them as much as when Castalia hit them with magic.

  
"You can do it, Castalia! Get up!"

  
"Stand up, Castalia!"

  
The fear in her gave way to awe as she looked around the group of villagers who were cheering for her friend. Like she was a superhero! It was almost enough to make her cheer too, and she had already taken a breath in preparation, only to feel it rush out of her when she happened to look back at her mother. She wasn't cheering like the others. In fact, she looked more like she was sad.

  
Confused, she turned back to Castalia.

  
It wouldn't be until she was older that she would realize just why her mother had looked so solemn at that moment. She would come to learn just how terrifying it was to have so many people counting on you to keep them _alive_ when you could barely keep _yourself_ going. Years down the line, she would think back on this as both a turning point in her life, and a source of fortitude in facing impossible odds. However, it would also serve as a source of anger. Anger at ShinRa...at these monsters...at the villagers...even herself...Because, just for a moment, she caught it.

  
That expression. That lost, desperate look in her eyes that said she was on the edge- just moments away from going over.

  
"I'm-...I'm fine," she panted, wiping both the look and some sweat off of her face. "Just not used to-...casting so many spells for so-...long."

  
She looked up, narrowed her eyes, and fired. The next moment, another monster fell from the sky.

  
"We should go. I'm not sure how-...how much longer I can keep it up."

  
"It's a blessing you had your materia at all," her mother told her amongst the cheers.

  
Castalia smiled, but it was weak. Trembling. "After what happened at the man-...manor? I never leave home without it."

  
Pushing the fear aside for the moment longer, she tried thinking about other things- like how she was going to ask for some materia after all of this was over.

  
Their group moved on, but it still felt like it was taking forever. Wasn't the dojo supposed to be close by? Panic settled in, especially when Castalia started to wheeze and turn gray- but she was able to keep running until they finally heard a voice.

  
_"-ey! Hey! Over here!"_

  
"T-There-..." Castalia was gasping for breath, but her expression was one of teary relief. "There's D-Da! Come on!"

  
Mr. Strife was standing outside of the dojo along with another group of people. Any other day, she might have laughed at the sight of them using things like bats and pitchforks as weapons like in the cartoons, but not now. Right now, she was glad that they seemed to be holding their own. All they had to was get there and they would be-

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
This...this wasn't happening.

  
_"NO! Castalia!!"_

  
That wasn't his sister falling to her knees with a scream, her back arching in agony as a Sonic Speed made off with something that looked sickeningly like bits of _flesh_ clinging to both its talons. That wasn't one of his best friends and her mother faltering at the cry, looking behind them for one fatal second and allowing another one of the monsters to get close. That wasn't Mrs. Lockhart collapsing to the ground shortly after, blood painting the ground red as she fell.

  
It _wasn't_.

  
" _MAMA_!!"

  
He snapped back to himself at Tifa's anguished, horrified scream, and surged forward-

  
Only to have a pair of arms wrap around him and keep him in place.

  
"What are you _doing_?!" he yelled furiously, struggling to get out of the hold as people rushed around him. "Let go! I have to _help_!!"

  
"You can't fight those things, Cloud! You'll get hurt!" the man who held him said (someone he knew, but he didn't really care right now). "Besides, help is already on the way!"

  
It was true, and for a moment, he had to pause and take in the sight that was his adopted father.

  
Matthew Allen was a laid back man. Very few things bothered him, and when they did, he tended to let them go quickly or talk it over with someone. Rarely was he upset for more than a day or so. But this...

  
He'd never seen him so _angry_.

  
If he had to be honest, he'd never really considered the shovel a weapon before, but he was definitely going to rethink that after today. His da used it with a brutal efficiency as he made his way over, and while there were more than a few close calls, rage gave him the edge he needed to make it relatively unharmed.

  
He only wished he could be there too.

  
It had been a while since he'd given thought to how much he was progressing as far as his fighting ability was concerned. Zangan's training was showing results, and he did feel more comfortable in his younger body than before, so he had been fine with taking a little longer than he'd first anticipated.

  
Now, he was regretting that decision.

  
Once again, he wondered just how much he'd changed with his arrival. ShinRa _had_ come to Nibelheim at some point in his original childhood, but nothing like _this_ had happened. He wracked his mind, frantically trying to think of what he could have done to have it ripple into this nightmare.

  
The familiar whoosh of a fire spell brought him back to the present, and he could feel his heart leap into his throat when he realized that, somehow, Castalia was still conscious.

  
She had a shaky arm extended toward Tifa and her mother, the materia bangle on her wrist still glowing brightly from its recent use. Unfortunately, the kyuvildun that had gotten too close to the pair only gave a pained screech as it was knocked back in a burst of fire, but seemed no worse for the wear.

  
_'How long has she been casting?'_ he thought worriedly. _'That should have caused a lot more damage.'_

  
As if to answer the question, she swayed dangerously for a few seconds before finally giving in and passing out. Luckily, his da had reached them by then, along with Master Zangan, Cole (he almost didn't recognize him- the face was definitely his, but the armor and giant mace were new...), and some of the other men in town. The martial artist quickly picked up Mrs. Lockhart while Tifa held onto his back, Da carried Castalia, and Cole and the rest either carried the other wounded or provided cover. Between all of them, they were able to make it back to the safety of the dojo.

  
Mrs. Lockhart was one of the ones to be immediately swept away for treatment, and while he knew that her injury was much worse than Castalia's, he almost wanted to call out to the town's doctor in protest when the man followed. As it was, he felt like throwing something at him when they set Castalia down on a mat.

  
Still and pale and bleeding- _just like Zack_ -and that couldn't be her- not his sister -and he had been helpless just like he'd been then-

  
He jumped at the heavy hand that fell on his shoulder and was met with a grim smile.

  
"I'm no doctor," Cole- now sans armor -said, "but I'm not too bad with materia. I'll do what I can."

  
He leaned over to inspect the wound, then called for his da to help out. Cloud stood there watching, torn between wanting to thank him and _begging_ for him to _please help her_ , but unable to form the words. It felt like they were all getting stuck in his throat, and each one added just a bit more pressure to the tight knot that had formed.

  
He knew that Castalia had become someone important to him. He knew he'd grown to care for her...

  
He just hadn't thought about how much it could _hurt_ to see her like this.

  
"Hold her down," Cole told Matt with a grimace, bringing him out of his thoughts. "She's gonna feel this even though she's knocked out, but we gotta get the dirt outta there before I heal it up."

  
Cloud felt his jaw clench painfully, the little boy inside him- the one that had given him those few, treasured memories of growing up with Castalia -breaking down when glassy eyes shot open long enough for her to writhe and cry in pain.

  
_Screams of agony that echoed off of metallic walls while blood slowly dripped onto the floor-_

  
He wrenched himself from the memory with a shake of his head. This wasn't anything like it had been then. Castalia was injured, but she wasn't being hurt on purpose. They were _healing_ her, not torturing her.

  
Her cries eventually petered out into rough, pained gasps.

  
"...I got the worst of it, but it's a patch job at most," the handyman sighed. "Odds are it's gonna scar somethin' fierce, but she'll be okay. You should still have the doc look her over when he's got a chance, though- and you, for that matter. In the meantime, don't let her move around- skin's practically paper over that wound."

  
"Thank you," Matt choked out, looking absolutely awful. His voice was hoarse, his body was trembling, blood sluggishly trailed down a gash in his arm, and he looked like he'd much rather pull her closer to him instead of carefully laying her down on her stomach so as to not aggravate her back. " _Thank you_."

  
Cole carefully clapped a hand onto his da's shoulder. "Nothin' to thank me for," he said gruffly. "Now, I think I got some potions lyin' around somewhere. Should help jump-start the rest of the healin'. I'll go grab'm and let your missus know. You just keep an eye on Cassie."

  
He cast one final look toward her, then left the three of them alone. Cloud stood there for a moment, watching. He wanted to join them on the floor. He wanted to hug Castalia and never let her go, because if things had gone even a _little_ differently, she might have-

  
But he couldn't. All he could do was stand there and let guilt flood through him as he stared at newly healed ridges of skin that were a harsh red and undoubtedly going to scar. In the end, he hadn't been able to do anything. _Again_. He'd had to watch as people dear to him were hurt. _Again_.

  
His fists clenched in tandem with his heart while he stood there, feeling helpless as the sounds of Tifa's sobbing reached him.

  
_'I'm sorry.'_

  
He wasn't sure what he was apologizing for anymore.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Vincent stirred.

  
For a moment, he lay there, trying to figure out what had woken him. Though he could not see anything but the walls of the coffin, he felt the hour was late. Very few people, if any, would still be up. He closed his eyes, trying to pinpoint the cause while ignoring the stifling feeling of being confined to such a small area again after so long.

  
Something was wrong.

  
He couldn't be sure what it was just yet, although he knew it had something to do with why everyone had left the manor earlier. The worry he'd tried to sleep off had only seemed to increase in the few hours since then. Perhaps that was why he'd awoken so suddenly.

  
He wondered how Castalia was doing. 

  
It wasn't that he did not have faith in her- on the contrary, he was confident that she would do well despite her misgivings -but he cared deeply for her wellbeing. If something had happened that had multiple people rushing out, then she might be-

  
No. Castalia was fine. They had prepared as best they could. It might throw all of their plans to waste if he left now. As much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't risk it- too much was at stake and both of them knew it. He sighed again and closed his eyes, trying to force himself back into slumber.

  
He hoped it was just paranoia that kept him up the rest of the night.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

  
Aren't you all a bunch of lucky ducks here on AO3? On FF this was a cliffhanger that the readers had to wait quite a while to be resolved, but for those of you here, that's not the case.

  
Anyway, moving on. 

  
I am curious as to what you think. Were you expecting something like this to happen?

  
That being said, I am really growing to love Cloud in a brother type role and I have no one but myself to blame. I'd never considered him or read about him in that position before starting this story (is there a fic out there?) so getting to flesh out his character in that direction is both fun and a delicate challenge. It's also resulting in a much more lighthearted Cloud, but I like to think that was the sort of personality he had before Hojo messed up his mind. Reliving his childhood is just giving him the opportunity to return to his roots, so to speak.


	11. Prelude: ShinRa in Nibelheim (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of Shinra's visit to Nibelheim, and a bit of what happens after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally released on the same day as the remake, and my notes on FF really reflect that. They're kinda dated now, so I won't bother putting them here. Just know that I really enjoyed it.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**ShinRa in Nibelheim (Part 2)**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~ Day 3 of ShinRa's visit**

  
Nibelheim was quiet.

  
Reeve took a moment to study the subdued townsfolk, sighing inwardly as more than a few of them sent enraged glares his way. He honestly couldn't blame them. To say the day before had been a disaster was...putting it lightly. 

  
What bothered him was that he still had no idea how it had happened.

  
He'd known as soon as the explosion went off, of course. The reactor had been shut down for half an hour at the most- not nearly enough time for the mako to have drained completely -so even the small explosives they'd been setting up to weaken the structure became much more powerful. It had killed three of his workers instantly and injured a handful more. The rest had immediately tried to contain the resulting fire, only to scramble for cover when the monsters came out of whatever holes they'd been hiding in before being startled. The SOLDIERs he'd been provided for the project had been hard-pressed to deal with them all, and that had been _before_ the dragon decided to come and play. 

  
A _dragon_. That was going to give him nightmares for a while.

  
It was only hours later, once they'd managed to kill it along with everything else, that they'd deemed it safe to head back. Once there, they were met with a battered, grieving Nibelheim and the fading corpses of dozens of monsters- most of which he assumed had fled down the mountain at the arrival of the bigger threat.

  
He wondered why their bodies vanished upon death. What happened to them, exactly?

  
_That_ train of thought could be shelved until later. For now, he had to figure out what to do. The rebuilding project had been put on hold because of the incident, and until ShinRa reached a decision as to whether or not they would continue, his hands were effectively tied. It grated on him for a variety of reasons, the least of which being that this was the last reactor that needed to be remodeled. Not to mention, he felt he owed it to the people here to finish; otherwise, the ones who'd died would have done so for nothing.

  
"I already told the last person who came by! We're. Out. Of. Potions!"

  
He paused at the familiar, though agitated voice and turned to see Cole arguing with one of the construction workers. The man looked exhausted, but it didn't seem to deter from the scowl on his face.

  
"Can't you make more?!"

  
"Nothin' as strong as what you're asking! You'll have to wait 'til the order from Junon gets here like the rest!"

  
"I don't understand. You were able to do it yesterday! What's changed?!" 

  
"What's _changed_?" came a snarl so biting it actually made him wince a bit. "You some kind of idiot? Look around, and you'll see what's _changed_."

  
The worker had the grace to look abashed. 

  
The shopkeeper sighed, his frustration visibly leaving him as he wearily ran a hand over his face. "Look. I'd love to help you out. Really. But my remainin' stock went to treatin' the ones with more serious injuries- _includin_ ' my assistant, who _made_ the damn things in the first place."

  
If Reeve hadn't been paying attention to the conversation earlier, he was now. Almost unbidden, his feet moved him forward until he was standing beside the two of them.

  
"Castalia was hurt?"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_There was a brief moment of absolute silence after the shaking stopped. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but it was just enough to make her pause._

  
_Then Lilo was whining, and Cloud was urgently tugging at her hand, an unusually solemn expression on his face._

  
_"Cloud?"_

  
_"We've got to get inside somewhere, Ma."_

  
She looked so _young_.

  
Skye sighed as she ran a hand through Castalia's hair, smiling a bit at the soft texture. Most people didn't expect it, but her daughter was actually a bit particular when it concerned her hair. Short as it was, she took good care of it, wanting it to be smooth, shiny, and free of split ends. It was a bit childish, but it was also a relief, to be honest.

  
Castalia very rarely acted her age, after all.

  
_No sooner had the dojo's doors closed behind them, the first scream pierced the air. She jumped in fright, then felt her blood grow cold when more began to join in. They were screams of pain and sheer terror- as if Bahamut had descended from the sky and was destroying everything in its path._

  
_A glimpse of that terror shot through her heart as realization struck, and she quickly turned toward the door. Cassie and Matt!_

  
_A firm hand on her shoulder kept her from running back out._

  
It had been the most obvious when she was younger. The way she would sometimes look around with eyes too old for a little girl, full of grief and awareness of what she'd lost. It had lessened with the years, but even now, there was always that hint of shadow in her gaze that seemed to weigh them down. In sleep, however, they were hidden from the world, bringing a soft innocence to her face that was usually absent.

  
_'Well, if one could look past the slightly drooling mouth, that is,'_ she thought with a halfhearted smirk.

  
A result of sleeping on her stomach, yes, but no less amusing. She should take a picture- that way Castalia could be appropriately horrified as any other teenage girl would be at the sight. Of course, she would have to wake up first...

  
_She knew Master Zangan had a point. Going out there was foolish, especially taking her condition into account, but as the dojo continued to fill with people, she grew more and more anxious._

  
_None of them were the ones she wanted to see._

  
_"You should sit down, Ma."_

  
_She looked down and met Cloud's eyes, a part of her lamenting at the deep concern she saw within them. It didn't belong on her little Cloud. He was still just a child- he wasn't supposed to have that knowing look that said he knew what all the stress and worry could do to her. He-...he was supposed to be clinging to her, letting her comfort him as he worried over his father and sister._

  
_...Just when had he grown up so much?_

  
_"Ma? Ma, please."_

  
_She swallowed heavily, focusing on his voice as the world seemed to whirl around her. "Okay."_

  
She sighed again, the smirk falling as her thoughts continued to spin. Wearily, she rubbed her eyes. "Wake up soon, sweetie. We're all waiting for you."

  
The house hadn't been this quiet in ages- since Cloud's accident, in fact -and just like then, she hated it. She hated the way the silence seemed heavy and suffocating, draining them of the strength to do anything other than mope around. Her husband was the worst, but Cloud was a close second, though he had managed to pull himself together enough to comfort Tifa at least. The poor girl hadn't uttered a word since yesterday and had been near inconsolable those first few hours.

  
Understandable, given what had happened, but it still broke her heart to see the ordinarily cheerful girl so desolate.

  
_An eternity passed on that chair, and it was all she could do to keep from being violently ill as another went by. Cloud had reluctantly left her side some time ago, promising to be back as soon as he found out what was going on. She wished he hadn't- she needed something to focus on to keep her sane._

  
_A ghost of a smile slipped onto her face when she felt movement in her stomach, quickly followed by a wet nose nudging her hand._

  
Ulric tried to be there for his daughter, but in between coordinating the town's rebuilding efforts, continued meetings with ShinRa personnel, and the funeral arrangements, he was stretched thin. She doubted he'd even grieved the loss of his wife himself yet. Still, he knew better than to think Tifa would be alright on her own, so for the time being, she was staying with them.

  
_"Skye...?"_

  
_Her gaze snapped up (when had she started staring at the ground?), and it took her a moment to pair the familiar voice with the exhausted man before her. Once she did, however, it was as if she'd received a jolt to her body._

  
_Castalia had been with Cole this morning._

  
_"Where is she?!"_

  
_She felt her heart stop when he hesitated, and felt like she couldn't breathe with what followed._

  
_"Look...there's no easy way to tell ya, but...Cassie's hurt."_

  
The sound of someone knocking on the door pulled her out of the memory. "Come in."

  
She had to admit, of all the people she'd expected, Reeve Tuesti was not among them. He looked hesitant, and concern made itself known when his eyes landed on the bed. 

  
"Please forgive my intrusion, Mrs. Strife. I heard what happened and, well...your son let me in."

  
She smiled a bit. Given how protective Cloud was of Castalia, that must have been interesting.

  
"It's fine," she assured. "Cassie will be happy when she finds out you visited."

  
He'd probably been worried that he'd be chased out, going by the slight relief she saw on his face. Not that she could blame some of the townsfolk for wanting to do just that, but it was hardly fair to the man. From the little she'd interacted with him, he did seem to have good intentions.

  
"How is she?"

  
"The doctor said she'll probably be out of it for a few more days. Her back was badly injured, and she used up an alarming amount of energy trying to fight the monsters off."

  
"Is there anything I can help with?"

  
"Her body simply needs time to recover," she said with a shake of her head. "All we can do is wait."

  
Though she appeared calm while she said it, she wanted nothing more than to scream in frustration. Waiting, waiting, _waiting_. It seemed that was all she did when her children were hurt. She wished she could _do_ something instead. She hated the helplessness just as much as the silence.

  
"Are you alright? You look a little pale."

  
"Just a bit stressed, I suppose," she sighed. Admitting defeat to the needs of her body for now, she sat down beside the bed. "With everything that's happened..."

  
A brief silence fell, during which she saw the curiosity- the way his eyes glanced from her daughter's face and back -and smiled. It really wasn't a wonder that Castalia liked this man, given his intelligence.

  
"You're wondering why she doesn't really look like my husband or me, aren't you."

  
"The thought had crossed my mind before," he admitted. "But, I thought she might just have gotten her appearance from a grandparent."

  
"No. From what my husband tells me, Castalia looks very much like her mother."

  
"A previous marriage?"

  
She felt her smile turn a bit sad. "Nothing quite that simple, Mr. Tuesti. The truth of the matter is that neither of us are her biological parents. They were traveling merchants, but they both died when Cassie was a child."

  
"I see...Does she remember anything?"

  
"If she does, she's never said."

  
She had no doubt that Castalia _did_ remember her family, but that felt a little too personal to mention. There was another slight pause as he mulled over what he'd learned. 

  
"If there's anything I can do," he said at last, sending her a concerned glance that made her think she might not look as okay as she'd thought, "please don't hesitate to ask. While yesterday's events are being labeled as an accident, I can't help but feel responsible. I'd like to make amends."

  
"You don't need to do that, but thank you for the offer."

  
"Think nothing of it," he murmured, seeming to find it time to leave as he took a few steps toward the door. Just as he was about to step through, he paused and looked back. "I'm glad to see the rest of you have made it through unharmed, Mrs. Strife."

  
A tired smile pulled at her lips. "Me too. If Cassie wakes up before you get the chance to visit again, I'll be sure to let her know you're okay."

  
"...Thank you." It was said quietly, the undertone of guilt taking her aback. However, he was gone before she could reply, his brief goodbye echoing behind him. Alone once more, she sighed, stress and exhaustion pulling at her smile until she sat in a daze, staring unseeingly out the window.

  
Soft whimpers pulled her back into herself. 

  
The interruption was far from unwelcome. Instead, she relished in it, her mood lightening considerably as she stood and made her way over to the bassinet settled against the wall. Bright blue eyes stared up, clear and vibrant as the sky and complimented by whisps of golden brown and blond hair. She could not stop the rush of joy and affection from welling up inside her any more than she could stop the world from turning, and it was all she could do to keep from crying as she reached in to pick up her babies gently.

  
Born a bit early and under duress but both wonderfully, _beautifully_ healthy.

  
"They're ready to meet you, Cassie," she laughed softly as she settled back into the chair. "So get better soon."

  
Gentle singing filled the room a few moments later.

  
_"Dream of the river, oh child of the mountains._   
_Dream of the sky, and the warm earth below._   
_Let your heart show you all the world's wonders,_   
_And know when you wake, you'll be safe here at home..."_

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
...Where...was I?

  
_"Castalia..."_

  
It felt kind of like I was floating, but...

  
_"Castalia..."_

  
Was I dead? I was dead, wasn't I? Was the reason I was floating because my soul couldn't decide whether to go to my world's heaven or the Lifestream? Was that even possible? Not to mention I wasn't even sure which one I would prefer at this point, which was actually kind of scary when I really thought about it.

  
_"Wake up."_

  
I opened my eyes and was met with rolling hills of soft, green grass spread as far as the eye could see, filled with clusters of those lily-like flowers I remembered grew in Aerith's church. The sky above was a beautiful blue, filled with soft white clouds...

  
It felt otherworldly, and if I was where I thought, it probably was.

  
"Oh no, I _did_ die..."

  
This was _terrible_. Not just in the sense that, you know, I was _dead_ , but in the fact that I was going to be leaving behind yet _another_ family I'd grown to love. How was this even _fair_?

  
Soft laughter interrupted my increasingly panicked thoughts, and though it helped to clear my mind, it did nothing for the realization and heavy guilt that followed soon after as I stared into wine-colored eyes...

  
Eyes that were the exact same shade as her daughter's.

  
"M-Mrs. Lockhart..."

  
My heart ached.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
It wasn't paranoia

  
He was sure of that now, and growing ever more restless the longer he forced himself to remain. The only problem was that, once he'd decided to risk going out, movement within the mansion had resumed, and was much closer to where he was than before.

  
He did not regret the quiet snarl that escaped him when he heard Hojo's voice among them.

  
If he hadn't already loathed the man with every fiber of his being, he _would_ have after Castalia had told him everything she knew. However, unlike the horror that had gripped her when she realized that the very cruelties she was describing could be a very real possibility if not stopped, he had felt an almost overwhelming rage.

  
Rage that he couldn't even blame on the monsters within. 

  
He sighed quietly as the voices faded after a while. Yes, Hojo Eiding had much to answer for- and the man _would_ pay for his crimes -but that time was not now. For now, he had to figure out a way to get out undetected and find out what had happened.

  
He just had to be patient.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 4**

  
He was _tired_.

  
"Tifa-"

  
"I already said I'm not going! Leave me _alone_!"

  
It had been two days since the attack on Nibelheim. Most of the time had been spent recovering, with repairs only just beginning, but everyone knew this was something that could not be put off any longer. Until now, Tifa had been silent. It was only when she'd heard talk of the group funeral that she'd broken out of her lifeless state, and while this was definitely an improvement from then, Cloud knew it wasn't a big one. Anger never was.

  
"It's your mother's funeral."

  
Tifa froze, then turned to him with an expression of mixed anguish and fury. "You think I don't know that?!"

  
"Then go. If you don't..."

  
"What, you think I'll regret not going?!" She laughed bitterly- a sound he hadn't been expecting to hear from her in a long time, if at all. "No, the only thing I'll ever, _ever_ regret is not staying home. If I had-" She choked on her words, seeming to struggle for a moment. "...I-If I'd just _stayed_..." 

  
Her eyes filled with tears, and she swallowed shakily as she looked away, unable to continue... 

  
"It's not your fault, Tifa."

  
...But he _understood_ , and it hurt him to know she was feeling this way.

  
"You're wondering if things would be different if you'd been stronger." 

  
She winced, and while he felt some guilt at what he was about to do, he knew it had to be done. He knew firsthand that blaming yourself for things out of your control never helped- he'd even felt himself falling into that familiar despair shortly after the attack. Then, he'd remembered how Tifa had helped him see clearly the first time, so now it was time to return the favor.

  
Even if he had to drag her to that realization kicking and screaming.

  
"All you can think of is when it would have helped to be a little faster. A little more alert."

  
Her eyes squeezed shut as she looked away. "S-Stop it..."

  
"Maybe if you were as skilled as Master Zangan, or could use materia, you could have done something."

  
Now her fists were clenched into tight fists. "Stop..."

  
He hesitated for a brief moment, then took a quiet breath and continued. "...You feel like you could have saved-"

  
"I said **stop** , Cloud!!"

  
She ran towards him, fist raised and ready to strike, but he'd known it was coming. Combined with the fact that she hadn't yet learned how to fight while feeling such intense emotions, it was even easier to pin her to the ground.

  
" _Don't run away_!" he told her, hearing the echo of her older self in his mind.

  
She stared up at him with wide eyes. He couldn't blame her, given that he'd never spoken to her so firmly in this lifetime, much less raised his voice.

  
"I understand," he said, much more gently now that he had her attention. "Something happened that can never be undone, and you lost someone important to you."

  
_"Ma! Ma, please!_ Answer _me!"_

  
"It's not just that it hurts to lose them, but you're also afraid that it can happen again."

  
_"Goodnight...Zack."_

  
"Afraid that if it does, you still won't be able to make any sort of difference."

  
_"Aerith will no longer talk. No longer laugh, cry, or get angry..."_

  
"But you need to accept what happened! It's going to be hard, it's going to hurt, and things won't ever be the same, but unless you're planning on living the rest of your life like this, you'll just have to deal with it!"

  
It felt strange- more or less repeating the very words she'd used to scold him when he was still caught in his own regrets -but it had been good advice, and it was something that had stuck with him throughout the years.

  
He almost smiled at the thought. Even now, she was helping him, even if she didn't know it. 

  
"I'm not telling you to forget about her. I'd never ask that. But...I don't think your ma would want you to be like this. She'd...want you to be strong and move on, right?"

  
Her eyes began to water, and her jaw trembled dangerously as she nodded. 

  
He got up, offering a hand with what he hoped was a comforting smile. "So let's go."

  
The smile quickly gave way to panic when she started bawling.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
It felt like I was crying for a long time, but eventually, even those tears ran out, leaving me alone with a handful of regrets.

  
"I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry I couldn't-"

  
Mrs. Lockhart shook her head, cutting me off even as she continued running a comforting hand through my hair. "There's nothing to forgive. The fact that you pushed yourself so much...It's so much more than could ever be expected of one person, and yet you still tried."

  
"It wasn't enough to save you."

  
"But it _was_ enough to save someone else."

  
I didn't respond. What could I say, anyway? So, I just stood there, quietly ashamed of the part of me that wanted to tell her that I didn't save the one who _mattered_.

  
"You're going to have to go back soon," she said after a period of silence.

  
She hadn't said a word about it, and yet at some point, I knew that I wasn't really dead. I was just here while I recovered a bit. She, on the other hand, was here to keep me company, and would fully join the Lifestream once the danger had passed.

  
The injustice of it all made me want to scream.

  
"I-... I don't know if I can face them."

  
"You have to."

  
I nodded, but just the idea of it made me miserable. All I could think about was Tifa. I didn't care if this was something that her other self had gone through once upon a time. All that mattered was the Tifa _I'd_ come to know- the headstrong, cheerful girl that was always quick to smile. The one who seemed to savor every moment as if it was the best part of her day. The one that could talk on and on about some of the most ridiculous things and still manage to make you laugh. 

  
A little girl who loved her mother more than anything in the world.

  
Much like I had loved my first mother.

  
"She shouldn't have to know this kind of pain," I breathed out, my throat tight. "Not right now, and definitely not like _this_..."

  
"...Oh, Cassie," she sighed. "You always were a kind girl. I feel better knowing you'll be there for her."

  
I could feel myself trembling as I shook my head in denial. "Don't do this. Don't go."

  
"Promise me you'll look after her."

  
"Don't leave her alone."

  
"She'll never be alone."

  
Her gaze was heavy with meaning, and I knew without asking that she meant me. She meant Cloud. Ma and Da. Marlene and Denzel and all the people she would come to call her friends and family. Tifa wouldn't be alone because she would have _us_.

  
"It's not the same."

  
"No...but it helps." She pulled away, and I felt a painful throb in my chest as I finally caught sight of the tears trailing down from sorrowful eyes, and a face twisted in heartbreak. "Please...be strong for her until she can stand on her own again. Can you promise me this, Castalia?"

  
"It would be better with _you_ -"

  
"Castalia. There's nothing that can be done."

  
I wanted to protest. I wanted to tell her that there had to be a way that she could come back. But I knew, just like how I'd known I wasn't dead without being told, that she was right. Part of me was still in denial that this was happening. The other part was recalling just how bad her injury had been. I doubted even the mako enhanced could have walked away from having most of their chest impaled...

  
I stopped thinking about it, though I had to restrain sobs I thought had passed. She was patient, however, and watched as I calmed myself and came to terms with what she was asking.

  
Finally, I sighed. "I promise."

  
She smiled softly and brought me close in another hug. "Thank you...And thank you...for giving me a few more years with my daughter."

  
I tensed in her arms, but she only tightened her hold. Somehow, she knew about how she'd originally died. Maybe it was because of where we were. Maybe Minerva had told her before I'd awoken in this place. I wasn't sure, and honestly, it wasn't really the time to think about it. So, I tried my best to ignore it and the fact that she was shaking. 

  
"Tell her that I love her. That I am, and will _always_ be, proud of her. So, so _proud_..."

  
"I-... I will."

  
"Thank you," she breathed out, her body beginning to fade even as I held her. "T-Thank you. _Thank you_..."

  
Then, she was gone.

  
"Goodbye..."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 5**

  
"Her injury is healing nicely. It should be safe to lay her on her back now- it puts much less stress on the spine."

  
"Just give me a moment to slip this on her...Okay. Like this?"

  
"Careful now, Matthew. There we go."

  
Cloud watched from his seat in the corner as the town's doctor checked a few more things. Technically, he wasn't supposed to be there, but he wasn't about to point that out while both of the room's other occupants were too distracted to notice. Instead, he stayed quiet as the man finally straightened up with a tired smile.

  
"Everything is fine. I can't say for sure since I lack the necessary equipment, but it seems her energy levels have also recovered to an acceptable range. If all goes well, she should wake up within the next day or so."

  
A relieved smile broke out onto his da's face. "That's great news."

  
"Yes. Of course, there are a few things to be aware of. She'll experience some disorientation and might not immediately remember what happened, for starters. This is normal, but make sure to monitor her condition. If she is still unable to recall anything after a few days, let me know. Disassociative amnesia, while a bit uncommon, has been known to occur with traumatic or stressful events. 

  
She will also be very lethargic. While she'll have gained enough strength to wake up, it won't be enough to do much else. Expect her to still sleep for long periods of time. Once she's awake for most of the day again, I need you to start her on a few basic stretches- I'll let you know what they are in a bit. This is to make sure that the skin and muscles finish healing correctly. It will cause some pain and discomfort at first, but it's best to start as soon as possible in order to keep the areas limber and less prone to reinjury.

  
Last of all, do not, under _any_ circumstances, allow her to use magic while she's recovering. I _cannot_ stress this point enough. Her actions a few days ago, while understandable given the circumstances, were extremely risky. Her body wasn't used to that kind of strain, and it's going to take some time to recover. Should she practice any sort of magic before she's ready, she not only runs the risk of hurting herself through spell backfire but of severely damaging her casting ability. So, no materia, and no item synthesis."

  
"Sure, but-... If you don't mind me asking, what does item synthesis have to do with magic?"

  
He was wondering the same thing. He'd thought that the process was more chemical than anything.

  
"Item synthesis is more than just mixing ingredients, son. Ever wonder how said items are absorbed into the body so quickly, or even just the types of conditions things like Maiden's Kiss are meant to cure? Magic's as much a part of the process as the technical know-how, with each item being imbued with it during creation. Normally, the alchemists don't even feel it. But with Castalia being as drained as she is, even a _potion_ could potentially send her back into a coma, and that's something most can make a hundred of before feeling any kind of fatigue."

  
It made sense, now that he thought about it. He didn't really remember what it was like when Castalia first started, but he could easily recall how tired she'd been when learning how to make a new item. Cole always let her come home early on those days.

  
"So, magic ability also determines how many items can be made?" he asked before he could help it.

  
They gave a slight start and turned to look at him in surprise.

  
"Cloud? I thought I told you-... How long have you been there?"

  
"Since the beginning," he admitted.

  
Matt looked like he was going to say something but ultimately sighed, a wry smile appearing on his face. "Both of you are too curious for your own good. Come on then. There's no point in sitting over there anymore."

  
He stood and walked over, grateful that he wasn't going to get kicked out. He _could_ always eavesdrop from behind the door, but he always appreciated not having to go through that if he didn't have to.

  
"To answer your question," the doctor continued, his own expression somewhat amused, "magic affects not just the amount, but also the item itself. The better the skill of the alchemist, the better the item. That's why even though a way to mass-produce most of them has been created, they never seem to be at the same level as the hand made ones. Don't get me wrong, they still work, but it's like comparing the food of an intermediate chef to that of a professional."

  
"You know a lot about this," he pointed out. 

  
"All doctors are required to learn the basics of item synthesis. Not only does it give us better insight into how they might affect the human body, but it also gives us the ability to make our own items in a pinch." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I must admit, however, that your sister has surpassed anything I was ever able to make."

  
"She's really that good?" his da asked aloud, before realizing how it sounded. "Not that I'm doubting her ability, it's just-... I didn't realize item synthesis was so complicated."

  
"It's not just anyone that can make a Phoenix Down, much less a fifteen-year-old. It's part of the reason they're so expensive, other than the fact that getting ahold of the feathers is a pain in and of itself. I'm glad, though. Without her items, many people could have come out of the attack much worse for the wear. Be sure to thank her for me when she wakes up."

  
"I will. Thank you for coming over."

  
"It's no trouble. I'll do another checkup next week, but don't hesitate to tell me if there's something you're concerned about."

  
"Sure thing, Doc. Let me show you out."

  
As the older men left the room, Cloud remained sitting next to her bed, studying her. He hadn't had the time to do so, as he'd been alternating between keeping an eye on the twins when the adults needed rest (Were all newborns really that _small_...?) and making sure Tifa would be okay. Now that he had the chance, he had to admit that the doctor was right- she was recovering well. Her breathing wasn't pained or wheezing like a few days ago, and her face had gained some color. She was still pale, but she didn't look nearly as bad as before.

  
It still hurt to see her like this, though.

  
"You're so stupid..." he told her, making sure to keep his voice low.

  
He didn't bother asking why she'd pushed herself so much. He knew why, and he knew he probably would have done the same. He smiled slightly at the thought. She had given everything she had and more.

  
As much as it hurt, he was proud too.

  
"I hope we're never forced into that kind of situation again. But...if it does...I'll be there fighting next to you. I promise."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
It was hard to believe such a small boy would grow up to be Gaia's hero.

  
Vincent stared at the blond as he slept. He had finally managed to slip away from the mansion, though he had quickly discovered that something serious had indeed happened. Many of the town's buildings were damaged in some form, and there were a few Shinra guards patrolling the borders. As he approached Castalia's home, he even saw a young man garbed in the standard SOLDIER uniform, speaking quietly with one of them. 

  
It was concerning, but not nearly as much as the sight of his closest friend lying so still and pale on a bed.

  
Her brother had probably fallen asleep on a self-imposed vigil, not that Vincent could blame him. The hour was late, and the boy's face held traces of exhaustion even in slumber- no doubt he had been forcing himself to stay awake as long as possible. It was endearing in a way, and, coupled with Castalia's stories, he briefly felt a whisper of the same fondness he held for her. It was good to know that she hadn't been alone. 

  
Shaking himself from that train of thought, he quietly approached the side of the bed opposite of Cloud.

  
Confronted with the sight of her once again, he wasn't sure what to think. He felt relief that she had survived the incident that had injured her, anger at himself for not being there to help, guilt at her condition...but an apology seemed empty at this point. What could he say that would make it up to her? Was it even possible?

  
...

  
_"-...You said Lucrecia was incredibly smart. And, from what you told me you discovered in the mansion, it does sound like she came to regret her decision, but the fact of the matter is that she agreed in the first place. I don't know about you, but I could be approached by the nicest man in the world, told that I would birth the next Minerva, and I still wouldn't agree to have someone conduct experiments on my_ child _. It's all kinds of messed up."_

  
_"...What point are you trying to make, Castalia?"_

  
_"You feel guilty. I get that, and I can't stop and won't try to stop you from feeling it. But what I'm saying is that you shouldn't think it was your fault. Whatever part you think you may have had wouldn't have been enough to cause that disaster on its own. Lucrecia also made her own choices- ones that no one forced her to make -and those choices only contributed to the problem. So, Lucrecia's just as much to blame for what happened, if not more so since it was_ her _child she was experimenting on...Do you get it?"_

  
...

  
He sighed almost inaudibly and pushed the memory away. He and Castalia did not disagree often, but that particular conversation had been one of those times, and it had led to one of the more severe arguments they'd had in the five years they'd known one another. Still, it served to remind him that she would, most likely, think him foolish for taking any of the blame for her condition.

  
He ran a hand through short, feathery tresses, carefully brushing an errant strand away from her face before allowing his hand to fall with a slight shake of his head and a small smile.

  
_'Stubborn girl...I'm glad you're all right.'_

  
The only sign of his departure was a brief fluttering of the curtains.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 6**

  
"U-Uhn..."

  
He jerked in place from where he'd been dozing and turned to the bed with wide eyes. Was it possible? He could have sworn he'd heard-

  
There was a sharp intake of breath followed by a hissed string of rather vehement curses.

  
"Cassie?"

  
"D-Da?"

  
It honestly felt like he teleported to her side. "Hey there. How're you feeling?"

  
There were tears in her eyes, and she still looked a bit pale and weak, but she was awake. Immediately, the tension he'd been feeling for these past few days seemed to dissipate, making him feel almost lightheaded in relief.

  
"...Like I-" she rasped, then grimaced at the sound. "Can I have some water?"

  
"Oh! Sorry."

  
"It's fine."

  
He quickly poured a glass of water from the pitcher Skye had left on the bedside table and carefully helped her sit up so she could drink. Castalia sighed once she was finished and slowly leaned back onto her pillow.

  
"Better," she said, then smiled wryly. "Though I still might prefer being unconscious. Everything hurts like you wouldn't _believe_."

  
"I kind of got that impression from the wonderful soliloquy you had going. 'Damn those shit-faced monsters to the deepest pits of Ifrit forsaken hell,' indeed." 

  
He couldn't hold back his grin at the embarrassment on her face as he repeated some of what he'd heard earlier. He rarely heard her curse, if ever, so he supposed he could let it slide given the circumstances. If anything, it was striking him as rather funny. Who would have thought she'd have such a colorful vocabulary?

  
Of course, that quickly faded when she tried to move again and immediately jerked in pain.

  
"Careful. The doctor said your back isn't quite healed yet."

  
"Kinda figured," she snapped, then paused and sighed. "Sorry, Da."

  
"It's fine," he told her with a slight smile. "I don't handle pain all that well either."

  
He felt the mood shift at the ensuing silence, and did his best to steel himself for the conversation he knew was coming.

  
"What happened?" she finally asked a minute later. "...After I...y'know..."

  
"What's the last thing you remember?"

  
"A lot of it is a blur," she admitted. "Especially toward the end. But-... Mrs. Lockhart-"

  
"She's gone," he affirmed, helplessness filling him as he saw her tightly close her eyes and clench her fists.

  
"I thought as much...I just-... I'd hoped-..." She trailed off, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "Tifa?"

  
"She's been staying here. Mayor Lockhart's been so busy that we thought it would be best."

  
Castalia grew quiet at that, seeming to stare into nothing for a long time.

  
"She'll be glad you're awake," he offered, trying to cheer her up. "She's been waiting."

  
It seemed to do the trick. Her eyes lost their distant look, though they were heavy with emotion.

  
"Sorry...for making you worry."

  
"Don't be sorry about something like that," he told her, sitting beside her on the bed and carefully pulling her close. "Think of it this way- if you have people worried about you, it means that you have people that care. People that won't mind if you make them wait, as long as you come back in the end."

  
He placed a hand on her head when she slowly tucked herself into him and buried her face into his chest. "But...that's not all that's bothering you, is it?"

  
"We-... We were right _there_ ," she said quietly, her voice breaking at the end. "We could have made it-... _Why_...?"

  
_Why did she have to die?_

  
His eyes shut at the sorrow in her voice as his mind finished the statement. It made his heart ache to hear it, but he knew it would be worse if she kept it bottled up. 

  
"I don't- _didn't_ -want Tifa to-...to ever feel _anything_ like what I did."

  
His breath caught in his throat at the near-silent admission. It was the first time Castalia had broached the subject of her family with him- though he and Skye had long suspected she remembered more than she let on. Her pained statement proved that she not only _remembered_ but that the wound had probably just been reopened in the worst possible way.

  
"Oh, Cassie..." He gently squeezed her, feeling his heart tighten in tandem when he felt her breath hitch more than once.

  
She didn't cry, but she was close. Part of him wished she would, while the other was guiltily hoping he'd never have to see her tears because he didn't think he could bear it.

  
"I'll be okay," she quietly told him a few minutes later. "I just...need a bit of time."

  
"I'm not going anywhere. Well, except to eat and the like, but otherwise, I'll be here."

  
She laughed- barely more than a huff of breath, but a laugh nonetheless -and wrapped an arm around him. "Thanks, Da."

  
"Anytime, Castalia."

  
He smiled up until the moment her breathing grew deeper in sleep, at which point, he let it fall along with the tears that had finally broken free.

  
"I'm so glad," he whispered aloud into the room.

  
He knew she would understand- Castalia had always been very mature.

  
"I was so _scared_..."

  
But...a daughter shouldn't ever have to see her father cry in fear or sorrow. He knew that sometimes, it couldn't be avoided, but if he could keep even just the slightest bit of pain from her...If he could maintain that solid presence so that she wouldn't hesitate to rely on him...If he could keep up that image of being unshakable so that she felt safe in telling him about anything that could be troubling her...

  
For that, he would hide a lifetime's worth of tears.

  
"Please, don't scare me like this again. _Please_."

  
Right now, however, he would give himself this moment.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"She woke up, and you didn't _tell_ me?"

  
Tifa might have found Cloud's indignant expression kind of funny if she hadn't felt the same way. Still, the giant ball of... _something_ that had been churning and tightening in her stomach since the attack finally seemed to settle down a bit, so it wasn't all bad. She was brought back into the conversation when Cloud's dad sighed and sent them an apologetic look.

  
"It wasn't for very long," he told them while carrying a pot over to the table. "She fell asleep after asking a few questions, so there wasn't enough time to let you know."

  
"The important thing is that she finally woke up," Mrs. Strife cut in with a smile. "Ah, I'm so relieved."

  
"She's still going to sleep a lot, though, right?" she couldn't help but ask. "That's what the doctor said."

  
"That's right. By the way, Tifa, is your father coming?"

  
She frowned as an uncomfortable swoop was added to the mix in her stomach. "He-... He said he still had some things to do."

  
"It won't be much longer until he's done with everything," Mr. Strife told her gently. "Then he won't have to work during the night. I'll be sure to bring him some soup later, okay?"

  
She could only nod. It would be a lie to say that her father's absence didn't hurt, but she knew that he had to finish his work because he was the mayor. Of course, it hadn't been so bad before because she'd been with- 

  
She quickly pushed that thought away, doing her best to ignore the sharp jab in her heart. She had to be strong, just like her mother had told her to be. Like Cloud had asked her to be.

  
Like she _wanted_ to be...because maybe then the pain would go away.

  
"Do you think she'll wake up again today?" Cloud asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

  
"It's hard to say. Possibly."

  
"I want to wait in her room."

  
"Cloud, we've talked about this. Staying up late so often isn't good for you, especially in that chair. You really should-"

  
"I want to wait too."

  
Everyone turned to her, and a brief silence fell over them. Mr. and Mrs. Strife looked at each other for a moment, then looked back with the same look her m- _she_ would give her when she was about to give in.

  
"Alright. But keep in mind that she might not wake up, okay?"

  
"Okay."

  
It was hard to concentrate on the rest of the meal after that. All she could think about was what she would say to Castalia once she woke up. Anything that she could think of sounded weird in her head. Like it wasn't nearly enough to explain everything she felt. What was she supposed to say? Thank you? If she had to be honest, she didn't feel very grateful. In fact, she was actually more mad at her than anything.

  
She didn't want to admit it, especially to anyone other than herself, but it was true. She still felt so hurt and so upset that she wanted to scream at Castalia- to tell her that she hated her and that it was all her fault. Tell her that if she hadn't fallen when she did, then maybe they would have made it.

  
She looked at Cloud for a moment, feeling a rush of guilt and shame shoot through her when he noticed and smiled back.

  
It wasn't Castalia's fault. She _knew_ that...but maybe by talking to her she might be able to finally feel it too.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
It was late when I woke up again.

  
For a moment, I just lay there, watching the moonlit curtains flutter in a soft breeze. It was such a stark contrast to the chaos of before that I almost thought it had all been a dream. The pain in my back quickly reminded me of the truth, although that didn't stop me from staring while my mind wandered.

  
It was...still hard to believe.

  
"Oh."

  
It was barely a whisper, but it rang clearly in the quiet of the night. Giving a start, I slowly turned and quickly felt my tongue grow heavy in my mouth.

  
"Tifa."

  
She was standing in the doorway, clearly taken aback at the fact that I was awake. Hearing her name seemed to snap her out of it, however, and she opened her mouth a few times as if to say something before shaking her head and rushing off.

  
My heart sunk at the reaction.

  
"You shouldn't worry too much."

  
I smiled wryly at the new voice. Somehow, I wasn't surprised by this one, although I must have really been out of it if I hadn't even noticed he was sitting next to the bed.

  
"Cloud...Sorry, I didn't see you."

  
"It's okay," he reassured me. "I'm just-..." He faltered for a second before continuing. "I'm glad you're awake."

  
I looked into a pair of bright blue eyes, the amount of relief and joy within them enough to make my eyes tear up. It was the most open I'd seen them since his accident and, even though I knew it was ridiculous, the sight comforted me. 

  
A comfortable silence fell between us after that.

  
"You know? It's almost kind of funny," I began after a few minutes. "Not too long ago, I was the one fretting at your bedside. Now look at us."

  
"Mmm," he agreed. "We really should stop getting hurt. I'm pretty sure Da's gotten a few more gray hairs."

  
The response startled a laugh out of me (and a wince from pulling at my injury, but I tried to ignore that one), and when I turned to look, Cloud was smiling slightly.

  
"It does make him look more distinguished," I pointed out, playing along.

  
"I don't think that's the look he's going for right now."

  
"Probably not," I conceded with a chuckle. "He might have to get used to it though, with us being a pair of trouble magnets and all."

  
He was quiet for a moment, a strange expression crossing his face for a second before being replaced by a smile once more. 

  
"Cloud?"

  
"It's nothing."

  
I felt my gaze soften. Usually, I wouldn't push it, but I had a pretty good idea what was going through his mind, and the part of me that still thought of him as a bright-eyed little toddler rushed up to comfort him. "I can't promise nothing like this will ever happen again, Cloud. But...I can promise I'll do my best to be careful. Okay?"

  
I grinned a bit at the way his eyes widened. "Surprised?" I teased lightly. "You shouldn't be. I take my job as a big sister very seriously, you know."

  
"...Yeah," he said, his smile widening a little. "I know."

  
"Just promise me you'll be careful too," I told him sternly. "I don't want you falling off any more water towers."

  
The corner of his mouth twitched upward. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

  
"You know what I mean."

  
He laughed. 

  
"I was serious earlier, Cass," he told me once his amusement subsided. "Don't worry."

  
I sighed. I supposed it was only fair that Cloud also knew what I was sometimes thinking. 

  
"I just wish I knew what to say to her."

  
"I get the feeling she's thinking the same thing," he confided. "She'll come around. We just need to give her some time."

  
"Fair enough." I carefully reached over and ruffled his hair, smiling when there was no protest (or eye roll) on his end this time. "Just when did you get so mature, huh?"

  
"Well, one of us has to be."

  
"Real funny, Cloud."

  
"Glad you think so," he said before smiling mischievously. "You know, since I'll have to be the fun sibling as well while you're on bed rest."

  
It took a few moments, but eventually, my eyes widened as the implication hit. "The baby was born?!"

  
"Bab _ies_ ," he corrected, his smile slowly stretching into a grin. "Ma had twins."

  
" _Whaat_?! No way!"

  
"I'm serious. I know Doctor Beckman doesn't have the same utilities a city hospital does, but I'm kind of surprised he missed-"

  
"Bring them to me."

  
He blinked, probably startled at the interruption and at how serious my tone was. He was _not_ going to keep me from seeing those babies, though. 

  
Seriously, though. _Twins_!

  
"W-What?"

  
"You. Bring them here. Now."

  
"Castalia, it's two in the morning, and you're still inj-"

  
" _Now_."

  
"No."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 9**

  
Much like Doctor Beckman had said, after their late-night conversation, Castalia had slept most of the following days (he still felt himself smirking as he remembered how sleep had reclaimed her while she'd been fuming at his refusal to bring her the twins). Today, however, she had remained awake longer than before, and she didn't seem as tired, so it was decided that she would start the stretches the doctor had suggested.

  
As an extra incentive, he found himself seated on the floor with a set of cooing infants, facing Castalia as she carefully bent her body.

  
"Maybe a little fa-aa- _augh_!"

  
It wasn't going well.

  
Castalia was breathing shakily from her position on the chair, tears of pain in the corner of her eyes as she struggled to keep herself sitting upright. A moment passed where she caught her breath, then slowly moved- only to hiss in pain and immediately stop.

  
"Nope. Not happening."

  
Cloud felt himself frown. "You all right?"

  
Her jaw clenched for a moment, then loosened as she sighed. "Yeah. I think I'm done for today, though. Help me up, Da?"

  
"Of course."

  
He watched as Castalia slowly shuffled back to her bed, aided by their da and nowhere close to the smooth, fluid movements she'd had before. Once she was propped up against the headboard, and after she cast a longing glance towards their siblings, she groaned and allowed her posture to relax a bit.

  
"This whole situation sucks," she grumbled.

  
"It'll get better," Matt assured her with a sympathetic expression. "Especially once the shipment comes in. That'll cut down the recovery time."

  
"And I'm grateful for that. Really," she said, wincing and straightening up when her slouch went too far. "It's already going quickly, thanks to Cole, but...it can't come soon enough, y'know?"

  
"Yeah, I know," he agreed, sympathy coloring his tone. "You just gotta hang in there, Cassie."

  
"Not much else I _can_ do," she sighed. "I thought I was lazy, but I was wrong. Very, very wrong. I never realized how used to moving around I was until now."

  
"That's usually the case with these kinds of injuries."

  
"The first thing I'm going to do once the worst is over is run," she continued, ignoring their da's rather obvious statement. "Run until I reach Rocket Town or my legs give out. Whichever comes first."

  
"I thought you hated running," Cloud pointed out, absentmindedly wiggling his fingers in front of the twins and smiling when he felt tiny hands latch onto them.

  
He was given an envious glare for his efforts.

  
"I do. That's why it's the first thing- I need to get it out of the way."

  
He choked back a laugh at both the response and the solemn way it had been delivered. "Okay."

  
"After that, I'm gonna drop things on purpose just so that I can bend down to get them. Do you realize how _annoying_ it is to not be able to turn more than a couple inches in any direction?"

  
"As long as it's nothing fragile," Da cut in, clearly just as amused by this point.

  
"I'm desperate, not stupid," she replied dryly. "I wouldn't do that."

  
"Unless you secretly hated it. I know you've been plotting to get rid of that vase in the living room for a while now."

  
She laughed but quickly stopped with a jerk of pain. "Hate this. Hate this so much."

  
"Well, at least it's not as bad as it was before, right? You were protesting a lot more then."

  
Castalia turned red and sent their Da a halfhearted glare while he laughed. Cloud knew there was something he was missing there, given her reaction, but he was content to let it go. For now.

  
"I'm adding revenge against you to the list."

  
"You do that, Sweetpea."

  
All of them knew she wouldn't go through with it.

  
"Oh, before I forget, Cole is starting to put in orders for materials. He wanted me to ask you if nine kilograms of the bruiseweed was okay."

  
"That's too much," she said with a slight shake of her head. "I only need about half of that. Oh, could you tell him to order some vials, though? I was starting to run out as it was, and I can't imagine the new... _window_ on the side of the shop helped much."

  
Cloud couldn't quite help the bit of amusement he felt when she grimaced at the reminder of the damage to the building. Castalia had learned of it second-hand but had been just as riled up as Cole when she'd found out. It reminded him of Cid's reactions when one of his planes or airships were damaged. Although to be fair, he could sympathize given he had been just as attached to his bike and sword.

  
Especially his sword.

  
Getting it forged again was going to be a nightmare and a half.

  
"I hope I don't have to remind you not to do any synthesizing while you're on bed rest, Cassie."

  
His thoughts of First Tsurugi and how he could go about making it this time around were pushed aside as he brought his attention back to the conversation. 

  
"No, Da. Both you and Doctor Beckman made it perfectly clear what could happen if I tried making anything before he gave the okay. It's a little frustrating since I know that more than a few people could use a potion right about now, but I understand. No clandestine operations from my bed."

  
The older man made a face before giving her a flat look. "While _technically_ correct, I know you know there were better words you could have used. Heck, that whole last bit could have been phrased differently."

  
She smiled innocently. "Of course."

  
At that response, he looked up with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Mom, Pop, I just know you'd be laughing at me right now. Can't say I don't deserve it."

  
"Knowing Gramma and Gramps, I'd say that's pretty accurate. They did seem to find something funny when they met me."

  
"It's called karma."

  
Cloud didn't bother hiding his amusement. He'd had the opportunity to meet his adoptive grandparents a little after his arrival, and at least once a year since then. The two of them were as doting as could be expected, although they exuded a particular joy when it came to Castalia. From what he was hearing, he was starting to see why.

  
"Laugh it up, buddy. I know for a fact that your grandpa has been needing some help with Rusty, and we're due for a visit soon. I'm not above volunteering you for it."

  
He quickly felt his laughter die off, and the blood rush from his face. "He's still _alive_?"

  
"Unfortunately," his da grumbled.

  
The three of them exchanged glances before shuddering (or grimacing, in Castalia's case) in mutual horror. 

  
Rusty was, in the fairest terms, a crotchety, decrepit, malicious red chocobo who- apparently -seemed to be clinging to life solely to spite everyone who wanted him gone. The story went that his step-grandfather had saved him from being put down after he could no longer race, but that had been while _Matt_ had still been a kid. That unpleasant bird should have been _dead_ by now.

  
Normally he wouldn't be so callous, but after his previous experience with the feathered hellspawn the last time they'd visited, he had to admit that he really couldn't bring himself to care.

  
"Please don't," he choked out.

  
He would go through with it if he really had to, but he wasn't sure if he'd make it through their typical three-day visit without seriously contemplating murder. It would be easy, too. Castalia favored fire and lightning materia, so she usually had one or the other on her, and he'd [unwillingly] listened to enough of Reno's ramblings that he was sure he could make it look like an accident regardless of which one it was. He inwardly smirked at that. He could just imagine the redhead's reaction to him using assassination techniques on a chocobo.

  
...And his thoughts had seriously gotten off track. Just what was his life now if that could happen so easily?

  
"No, I suppose that would be too cruel," Matt admitted with a sigh. "It's bad enough that I had to deal with him when I was younger. You shouldn't have to go through it as well-"

  
"Thank goodness for that."

  
"Not unless you did something that really deserved it, anyway."

  
"I won't," he assured him solemnly. "Nothing would be worth it."

  
"...I'm not sure if I should be concerned about the way you said that."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 10**

  
"How's it look, Ma? Really. Cloud and Da didn't go into detail when I asked."

  
Skye paused at the quietly murmured question and took a moment to study her daughter's back. Today was the first day that Castalia was allowed to wash properly, but she was still having some trouble moving around, so she'd quickly volunteered her help despite the girl's protests (which were heartwarmingly more of concern than embarrassment). 

  
She sighed as her eyes roamed the various dips in the flesh. The monster had come in at an angle, so there were two deeper lines on her right side where the back talons had initially penetrated her skin- one closer to her shoulder and the other to her hip. They gradually lessened out into jagged grooves as they trailed towards where they then intersected with the front talons. The upper three covered the area around her right shoulderblade and raked down while the lower ones included most of her mid-back. Now that the injury had been given more time to heal, it was bright pink instead of red- although, given Castalia's tendency to tan, the lighter tone would definitely stand out once it was completely healed.

  
"It's not as bad as before," she told her, resuming her gentle strokes with a washcloth, "-but it still looks like you were mauled by a giant eagle."

  
"And with that, you've told me more than both of them combined," Castalia sighed.

  
"They just don't want to think about it, sweetie. You-... You scared us, you know?" She felt her hand tighten around the cloth as her eyes closed in pain. "You were so still and pale...Combined with the amount of blood around you, I-I thought-..."

  
The stress caused by the sight had been the final straw that triggered her labor. Most of what happened afterward was hazy, but she could still recall Cloud's yells for help and her husband's terrified expression as he hovered by her side.

  
"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you go through that."

  
"I know."

  
Seeing how Cassie seemed to shrink into herself a bit at the reminder caused a surge of emotions to swell up inside of her. Yet...she couldn't seem to put them into words. She may have come off as a very outspoken woman to most, and she _was_ , to a certain extent, but only when it concerned those she cared about. When it came to her own thoughts and emotions, however, she was a very private person. She didn't necessarily consider it a bad thing, but it was times like these that she envied her husband's ability to express himself. Matt had a way of speaking that always let others know everything he felt- whether he was happy, or concerned, or disappointed, or...anything really. Castalia was much the same. 

  
Cloud, however, seemed to be taking more after her than his father.

  
"At least I'll have an interesting story to tell if I ever go to the beach."

  
The comment was so unexpected that it startled a laugh out of her and broke the silence that had fallen between them. Though going by the slight smile on her daughter's face, that had been exactly what she'd been aiming for. Deciding to follow Castalia's lead, she allowed the heavy topic to be dropped for now.

  
"You'd be too busy fending off the boys for that."

  
"You think?" Castalia asked in amusement.

  
"I _know_ ," she confirmed, a grin spreading on her face. "You're cute, Cassie. Scars aren't going to deter a lot of them."

  
"I guess not, but Cloud or Da would probably finish the job."

  
They shared a laugh at that.

  
"To be honest, Ma, having a serious relationship is the last thing on my mind," Castalia continued once they'd settled down. "There's...a lot of things that I want to do."

  
"And that's fine," she reassured her. "You should never feel pressured into that big of a commitment. But...don't blind yourself to any opportunities, either."

  
At Castalia's slight flinch, which she might not have noticed had she not been so close, she felt her gaze soften. Perhaps it was due to watching her grow up, or maybe it was just women's intuition, but this had only confirmed something she'd been beginning to suspect.

  
She sighed. "I won't ask why- you're mature enough to make that decision. All I'll say is not to rule it out. It could be that you just haven't met the right person yet. Can't say there are many choices here, in all honesty...Plus," she smiled mischievously, "-it seems you're into older men, anyway."

  
Castalia groaned. "None of you are going to let that go, are you?"

  
" _Never_."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"How-... How is she doing?"

  
The question was spoken wearily- laced so heavily with undertones of sorrow and guilt that he could only sigh at first.

  
"Better, I think. She's talking again, and eating...I'm pretty sure we have Cloud to thank for that. It's easy to see she misses you, though."

  
Silence.

  
"You've been done with most of the work regarding this disaster for a while now," he continued, a hint of stern reprimand creeping into his tone. "When are you going to bring her home?"

  
"I-I...I can't-"

  
"Why?" When he was met with more silence, he scowled. "Ulric, she's your _daughter_. Skye and I can only do so much for her. She needs _you_."

  
The man stiffened, the fear and panic in his eyes so strong that it gave him pause.

  
"I can't," Ulric repeated, a hint of grieved hysteria in his voice. "I can't, I _can't_...not without my- without _her_. Every day I go home, and I'm reminded-... How am I supposed to bring my Tifa back to _that_?"

  
Ulric hadn't let himself start grieving his wife's death yet.

  
The realization hit him so strongly at that moment that he actually straightened up a bit in his seat. It made sense. The two of them had been together since they were around Castalia's age. That was years of history, gone in an instant. Of course Ulric would be having trouble coming to terms with the loss. 

  
He sighed. This was turning out to be quite the mess.

  
"Right," he decided after a bit more thought on how he could help. "Pack a bag, Ulric. We're going on a trip."

  
"Trip?"

  
"Yes."

  
It was a bit of a longshot, to be honest, and definitely not something he wanted to do with Skye having given birth just a little over a week ago, but she would understand. She'd probably even encourage it if it meant helping Ulric and Tifa get some semblance of their life back together.

  
"But- I can't just-!"

  
"The town can survive without you for a week or two."

  
"Not with ShinRa here. W-We should wait-"

  
"While I might not like them being here, there's no telling when they'll leave. Last I heard, they were still waiting on a response from their higher-ups. Considering most of them have access to phones, it's pretty telling that there's a lot of stalling going on _somewhere_. Besides, Cole and Yi are more than capable of handling anything that pops up. Now, stop making excuses and pack. We'll be leaving in an hour regardless of whether you do or not."

  
"...Why? Why are you doing this?"

  
"Because your daughter needs you, and I refuse to let you forget it."

  
Not when it could have just as easily been himself in that position.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"Yes, we're all fine...The babies too- ah, yes, she had twins. The doctor didn't- What?... Uh, I don't think they are. I mean, they're both boys, but they have different hair colors...No! No, there's no need for-...But-!...Yes, Mom...Love you too. Be-... Be _careful_ , okay?"

  
Cloud watched as his da hung up the phone with a deep sigh and slump of resignation. "Grandma's coming?"

  
"Looks like," Matt answered before running a hand over his face. 

  
" _Alone_?"

  
"Your grandfather's coming too, but I'm glad you understand why I'm worried." 

  
"What about the farm?"

  
"From the sounds of it, she was going to ask your aunt to look after it."

  
"Aunt Rio?"

  
He frowned a bit as he recalled the name of his adoptive aunt. He knew he was supposed to have met her, but the memory of it was still lost to him. He still didn't know much about the woman either, since she didn't live in the same town as his grandmother and grandfather, but it was plain to see that despite caring for one another, there had been some past tension between her and his da. Whenever he spoke of his childhood, it was with a slight awkwardness, like he wasn't quite sure what to say at times.

  
"Yeah." He sighed again and shook his head with a wry smile. "I only called to let your grandma know our visit would be delayed, but I should have known better. They've always been stubborn, and they think that since they can still handle a farm, then they're more than capable of making their way here. Hopefully, your uncle will manage to convince them to have _some_ sort of protection before they leave. He's got a much better chance of it than Rio, at any rate."

  
"Neil is much less outspoken than the two of you," Ma said with a smile. "That makes the few words he _does_ say seem to carry much more weight."

  
"I suppose so." He briefly ran a hand through his hair before turning towards her. "Sorry again for springing this on you so suddenly..."

  
"You've apologized enough, Da," Castalia cut in from her place on the couch. Her tone was fondly exasperated, but the effect was weakened by the delighted smile that had been going strong on her face since one of the twins had been placed on her lap ten minutes ago. "And we already told you it's okay. Now go help Mr. Lockhart."

  
"Right. So this should hopefully only take a couple of weeks- three at the most." He walked over to Ma and gave her a chaste kiss before smiling slightly. "Think you can hold down the fort that long?"

  
"I make no promises."

  
Da chuckled and then went over to Castalia, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Don't push yourself too hard in your exercises."

  
She rolled her eyes playfully. "I won't, but thanks for reminding me _again_."

  
He huffed, but there was nothing but fondness in his eyes. 

  
After giving the boys a quick kiss too, his da finally turned to him. Cloud was prepared to endure whatever came next, but in all honesty, he also found himself not really minding the idea of receiving the man's affection anymore. Yes, he was an adult in mind, but even if he'd been an adult in body, he knew he would never have rejected affection from his mother. And after all that he had seen him do, especially in this past week and a half, Matt had broken any remaining barriers that had kept him from fully being regarded in the same manner. It had been a bit startling to realize he now genuinely thought of the man as a father, but not unwelcome. 

  
Besides, it was _infinitely_ better than the near reverent hero worship he'd had over Sephiroth in his original childhood.

  
Sure enough, he was brought into a firm hug, but after pulling away, his Da also placed his hands on his shoulders and bent down. 

  
"Cloud, I know it's mostly thanks to you that Tifa is where she's at right now. It couldn't have been easy, but you stuck with her, and you managed to get her to start moving forward. Not only that, but your Ma told me that you were the one who brought her inside during the attack and helped keep her calm. None of it should have happened, but it did, and you stepped up. I can't even begin to express how proud I am of you for it."

  
Castalia and Matt really were two peas in a pod, he thought as he tried to hold back a pleased flush from slowly rising to his face. Both of them seemed to have a knack for bringing out reactions from him that he hadn't known he could still feel. Still, he couldn't deny the warmth that the comment brought him. 

  
"Aww, he's blushing~"

  
He sent Castalia a halfhearted glare, which was only met with laughter. 

  
"Relax, Chicky," she added with a grin. "I'll be toning the teasing down now that I've got _this_."

  
She lifted the twin in her hold up in the air like some sort of trophy, her grin widening when their da sighed.

  
"Cassie, pronouns. _Please_."

  
He smirked. "I like how you didn't even tell her to be careful not to drop him."

  
"That's because I know she won't. Right, Cassie?"

  
Castalia winced and brought her arms back down to her lap. "Yeeeah, I definitely don't want a repeat of what happened the _last_ time. Sorry again, Cloud."

  
"... _What_?"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 12**

  
"...-I told him it was a joke, and he seemed okay with it, but what if he _wasn't_ , and it _did_ actually bother him?"

  
"He'd get over it," Cole snirked, the cure materia in his hand seeming to flare with the sound. "Brat practically worships the ground ya walk on. He can handle a bit'a teasin'. Move your arm."

  
"Cloud does _not_ worship the ground I stand on," I sighed in exasperation even as I complied.

  
"Used to. Luckily he's had some sense knocked inta him since then."

  
" _Hey_."

  
"Where is he, anyway? Woulda thought he'd be here bein' a general nuisance."

  
"He's with Tifa. With her dad gone, she's been a bit down."

  
"Hmm."

  
I saw the corner of his lips twitch and couldn't hold back a smile. "Aww, you do like him."

  
He scoffed. "About as much as a fungus, maybe."

  
I sniggered at the gruff response. 

  
"Shipment came in," he said, clearly changing the subject while handing me a glass. 

  
I decided to let him have the topic switch as I reached for it eagerly. "Really? I was expecting it to take another week at least."

  
"Yeah, well, ShrinRa's good for _somethin_ ' apparently. It got bumped up to a rush order. Drink up."

  
I nodded, the relief and excitement I was feeling probably clear as day in my expression.

  
In my years here, I'd come to learn that recovery items like potions didn't automatically make everything better, like in games, which made more realistic sense. Still, they did help people heal much faster. The better the potion, the greater the effect. For example, an injury that would take two days to heal naturally could be gone in one with a hi-potion. It would take even less time for the mako-enhanced due to their already superhuman physiology. While I was already recovering at a rate that would have been unheard of in my old life, we both knew that this was what would ultimately give me that final push into full health, and I was more than ready to finally _move_ again.

  
Then a familiar mix of tangy and bitter hit my nose, and I froze. Once my brain had finally caught on to what I was holding, I turned to look at him in shock.

  
"An _elixir_?! Cole-!" 

  
He sighed, his expression annoyed and amused all at once. "Shoulda known you'd know what it was, even out of the bottle."

  
"I can't drink this!"

  
This must have cost him a small fortune! Wouldn't it have been better to use on someone who was worse off? Or at least kept as a backup in the shop! Sure, this would pretty much guarantee I was up and about by the end of the day, but I didn't mind drinking a regular potion and waiting a day or two more.

  
"None of that now, Cassie."

  
"But-!"

  
" _Drink_ ," he cut me off firmly. "Havin' you back'll help make up for any gil I mighta lost buyin' that."

  
I supposed that was true. Once the doctor gave the okay, Cole wouldn't have to buy anything already synthesized since I'd be able to make it. 

  
"'Sides," he continued, "you might think that elixir is better off bein' used on someone else, but I got it for _you_. If you don't drink it, I'm pourin' it down a sink."

  
I stared for a moment, a bit taken aback at the admission (and the threat because he _would_ do something like that), but then I saw the look in his eyes. 

  
A warm feeling washed over me as I looked down at the glass and smiled. "Thanks...and sorry. For worrying you."

  
"Don't do it again."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
There were sounds coming from the kitchen.

  
Tifa blinked in confusion, feeling Cloud pause next to her for a moment before he hurried forward. Mrs. Strife was at the doctor's with the twins, so who...?

  
"Cass, you're up!"

  
"Yeah. Cole came by this morning with his materia and one of the potions that came in the shipment. I slept for a bit, and now, well, I'm still a little stiff, but other than that, I have full range of movement. As for my magic...I think a full night's rest would be best, just to be safe, but I thought I could at least help with lunch while Ma's out."

  
He shook his head. "You know she's going to hug you and not let go, right?"

  
"That's why you need to come up with a distraction before she comes home."

  
He laughed but hearing it made only made her feel upset.

  
Cloud had spent a lot of time with her since the attack, even when she tried pushing him away. The other kids in town had tried talking to her on one of the days she went out without him, but...it wasn't the same. A lot of them would only tell her how sorry they were and ask if she was okay, but that only made her angry.

  
Of _course_ she wasn't okay, and they were stupid if they couldn't see that.

  
Cloud understood, though. Somehow, he always knew when she wanted to talk, and when she didn't. He didn't keep asking dumb questions, and he didn't get mad when she would start fights with him (but _she_ sometimes did because she couldn't _beat_ him anymore). He was just...there.

  
And now he was going to leave her too.

  
She felt tears sting her eyes the longer she thought about it. Castalia was better now, so Cloud was going to start spending all of his time with her again. He would forget all about Tifa Lockhart, the crybaby girl who yelled at him and tried hurting him, and-...and who hadn't been a good friend _at all_.

  
"Tifa? Tifa, are you okay?"

  
_No_ , she _wasn't_!

  
The hand in front of her jerked back, and it took her a few moments to see Castalia's surprised face through her tears. When she did, that ball in her stomach that had been growing and growing and _growing_ in her for days _exploded_.

  
"I'm _not_ okay! I'm _not_! Why does everyone keep _asking_?! Why can't they just leave me _alone_?!"

  
"We ask because we're worried, Tif-"

  
"NO! You're _not_ worried, and you _don't_ care! If you did-...If you _really_ cared, my mama would still be here!"

  
" _Tifa_!"

  
Cloud sounded angry, and it _hurt_ , but now that she'd started, she couldn't _stop_.

  
"We were almost there!" she felt herself scream. "She could have made it! But you _tripped_! It's all your _fault_!"

  
" _TIFA_!"

  
"I wish _you_ were dead instead of her!"

  
Silence.

  
_'I didn't mean it.'_

  
Castalia's face had turned white.

  
_'I swear, I didn't mean it!'_

  
Cloud looked horrified.

  
_'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!'_

  
But...the words wouldn't come out.

  
So, she ran.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
The silence that had fallen remained heavy even after the door slammed shut behind Tifa. Cloud stood there, stunned at what had just happened. He'd known Tifa was still angry, but she'd been improving!... He hadn't thought-...

  
"Cloud." He turned at his Castalia's voice. "You-... You should go talk to Tifa."

  
"But-"

  
" _Please_ ," she continued softly. "She-... She won't want to see me, but...she shouldn't be alone."

  
"...Are you okay?"

  
He felt his heart twist when she looked down, the tears that had filled her eyes falling to the ground as she sniffled. 

  
"S-She didn't mean it," she said, her voice thick. "She's hurt...and angry...She didn't mean it."

  
That didn't mean hearing something like that wouldn't be painful, though.

  
As if he'd said that out loud, she rubbed the tears away and turned to him. "I-I'll be fine. Really."

  
Her eyes were still watery, and even though she was trying to smile, it was weak.

  
Before he knew it he had stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

  
"She _didn't_ mean it," he reassured her, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "And...even on the small chance she did, she's _wrong_. It's _not_ your fault."

  
Castalia had tried so hard to keep everyone safe but, despite her knowledge of martial arts and materia, she was still so young-- so inexperienced when it came to fighting real threats. The fact that she'd managed as much as she had was actually more than a little amazing. It wasn't fair to hold her responsible for other people's lives. She shouldn't have even had to worry about it in the first place. He was sure Tifa would see that too.

  
She immediately hugged him back, small tremors wracking her body. "R-Right," she choked out. "... _Right_...Thanks, Cloud..."

  
"Anytime."

  
She held him for a bit longer, but eventually pulled away and nudged him toward the door. "Go on."

  
He hesitated, but he knew she was right. Right now, Tifa needed him more than Castalia did. Still, he felt heavy as he nodded and walked toward the door. Just as he was about to step through, he looked back and felt torn. 

  
Castalia was sitting on the couch now, her head buried in her hands and body shaking.

  
Steeling his resolve was hard when all he wanted to do was run back and comfort her, but he managed to look away and close the door behind him. He paused for a moment to take a steadying breath, then started moving.

  
There was only one place Tifa would be after this.

  
Sure enough, he found her next to her mother's piano, staring at the keys as silent tears streamed down her face. When she finally noticed him there, she quickly stood up, her expression a mix of regret and fear. 

  
He just sighed and walked toward her.

  
She immediately shuffled back, maintaining the distance between them as she wrapped her arms around herself. 

  
He frowned a bit but adjusted his steps. "I just want to talk."

  
She shook her head and kept her eyes averted.

  
"Tifa-"

  
"Why are you here?"

  
"I told you why. I want to talk."

  
"No. _No_. You're here to yell at me. For what I said."

  
Her back hit the corner, and her gaze snapped up to his in realization. Before she could try to escape, he quickly closed the gap and kept her trapped between him and the wall. Tifa was quick to realize there would be no escape as well, and her defensive posture quickly crumbled. 

  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't-"

  
He reached out, ignoring the pang of hurt at how she flinched at the movement, and hugged her.

  
"I know."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Once Cloud left, the house immediately felt too stifling. I needed to get out- go and clear my head a bit. So I did.

  
_"I wish_ you _were dead instead of her!"_

  
I had to admit, climbing the water tower wasn't the first thing I thought I'd be doing once I was mobile again, yet here I was.

  
_"I wish_ you _were dead instead of her!"_

  
I'd known Tifa was still upset, especially with her reaction that first night I'd woken up and with how she had more or less been avoiding me since...but...Well, no one ever expects something like _that_.

  
And I hadn't realized it would hurt quite so much to hear it.

  
_"I wish_ you _were dead instead of her!"_

  
While it was true I hadn't originally payed very much attention to Tifa, once she'd gotten Master Zangan to begin training her, I'd started interacting with her a lot more often. Then, once Cloud joined in and she spent even more time with us, she slowly became part of the family- a little sister.

  
A little sister who'd just wished I was dead.

  
' _No. She didn't mean it_ ,' I reminded myself. 

  
I swallowed heavily and did my best to push those thoughts away. I was still climbing up the ladder, and the last thing I needed was to slip and fall because I was distracted. With that in mind I hurried up the last few rungs, determined to make it to the top and finally let myself think about it in peace...only to pause in surprise once I was there.

  
"...Travis?"

  
He'd been sitting with his head in between his knees as his arms kept his legs in place, but when he heard my voice, he jerked and looked up.

  
His eyes were red-rimmed.

  
Travis was very much like his mother- boisterous and pushy, with a strong dislike for being seen as weak. For that reason, I was sure he was going to say something- to deny what I'd seen and storm off in a huff...

  
But, he didn't.

  
"He was always jealous that I could come up here and he couldn't."

  
I gave a start, not expecting him to break the silence. He had looked away, but he was still hugging his legs and his voice was quiet, as if trying to make himself as small as possible.

  
This wasn't like him at all.

  
"Then he'd go crying to Ma when I'd tease him about it, and Ma would get mad at me. It's so stupid, but..." He gave a choked sob, curling more into himself as he shook. "But it's all I can think about! Him and his dumb temper tantrums!"

  
My thoughts came to a screeching halt, and I stared in growing shock and disbelief as the air seemed to freeze in tandem.

  
He couldn't mean-

  
_'No. Not_ Ethan _.'_

  
Travis's little brother...who could constantly be found yelling up at him whenever he climbed the water tower. He _couldn't_ be talking about him. He was too _young_.

  
"Then, before I knew it, I was here. As if he was gonna come outta nowhere and start screaming at me to come down again." Travis laughed, pained and scathing all at once. "Stupid, right?"

  
"It's not."

  
I thought back to my first childhood. I remembered hours of waiting by a window with my brother and sister for our dad to come home, even though we'd already been told he couldn't. He was our _dad_ , and nothing could keep him away from us forever, right? Not if he'd told us he would be back.

  
I took a seat next to him.

  
"You-... You just miss him," I told him, unable to keep my voice even as I tried to swallow the painful knot in my throat. "And this-...this is one place where he would always come to you."

  
He looked at me, relief flashing in his eyes before whatever he'd been holding back seemed to break free. The next moment, I found myself holding back tears as I supported a grieving fourteen-year-old boy mourning the loss of his little brother.

  
_"I wish_ you _were dead instead of her!"_

  
If I could, I would give everything to be able to bring Mrs. Lockhart back for Tifa...but I _couldn't_. No matter how much I wanted to. But this reminded me that I was _lucky_. While it sounded a bit callous, I still _had_ the people I wanted to protect. So, I had to keep moving forward.

  
_"Promise me you'll look after her."_

  
I was brought out of these thoughts when Travis pulled away, wiping at his eyes with his arm.

  
"S-Sorry." 

  
I offered him a smile, though it felt subdued at best. "Don't be...You look like you needed it."

  
He sighed but didn't deny it. Instead, he went back to looking out at the mountains. "What're you doing up here anyway? I thought you'd be back at the shop now that you're better."

  
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should say anything.

  
Travis was fourteen, but in the end, he was still a kid. Not only that, but he had his own things to deal with. It wouldn't be right to add my problems to his.

  
"Forget it," he suddenly grunted with a frown. "If you don't want to tell me, just say so."

  
I sighed inwardly and resisted the urge to shake my head. ' _Teenagers_.' 

  
To be fair, not all teenagers were that unique mix of moodiness and pride, but I honestly wasn't feeling up to brainstorming a better term when the one I used worked in this case. Still, not saying anything after _that_ would probably do more harm than good, so my choice was pretty much made at this point. At least Travis wasn't a _bad_ kid; he just had a bit of an attitude problem- something that seemed well on its way to fixing itself, if our current interaction was any indication. 

  
I wished it hadn't come at such a steep price for him, though.

  
"I thought about it," I began, pushing those thoughts aside, "but I wanted to surprise my family with lunch first. Cloud came home with Tifa and...well, she's not really happy with me."

  
"Not happy as in..."

  
"She blames me for her ma's death."

  
His eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but then he scoffed. "So that's her deal."

  
"Huh?"

  
"She's been avoiding everyone in town 'cept your brother," he explained. "When one of her friends tried talking to her she practically bit her head off and made her cry."

  
Before today, I wouldn't have been able to picture Tifa going off on someone like that, but now...I winced and hoped whoever it had been was okay. 

  
"But now I know she's just being a brat."

  
"Hey, that's not fair to her. She just lost her Ma-"

  
"And I lost my _brother_!" he snapped, his brows furrowed deeply as he glared at me. "You don't see _me_ takin' it out on everyone else!"

  
"Yeah, but you're fourteen," I pointed out. "She's _ten_ , Travis. She's still just a little kid..."

  
"...It's still not right," he grumbled after a moment.

  
"It's not," I agreed. "But...we can't be too hard on her for it either. Tifa isn't mean or spiteful at heart, so I'm sure she'll see that the way she's been treating everyone is wrong and apologize."

  
"How are you so fucking _positive_ right now?" he grumbled, though it lacked any real heat. "Aren't you even a _little_ upset?"

  
"Course I am. I'm just wasting time until it becomes too much and I inevitably break down."

  
I wasn't entirely sure that was a joke, but Travis didn't need to know that.

  
Instead, I smiled a bit as he huffed, notably calmer than he'd been before while I felt something in me ease as my own words echoed in my mind. While I knew that Tifa couldn't have meant what she'd said, there was a part of me that couldn't help but take it to heart. Somehow though, by defending her actions to Travis, I had managed to do what I hadn't been entirely successful in doing since it happened: reassure _myself_.

  
The conversation died out shortly after, but the silence wasn't awkward. Instead, as if by mutual agreement, we both turned to look out. If there was one thing that I loved about the water tower, it was the view. There was just something about being so high up that made the scenery different, no matter where you were.

  
"It's something else, huh?" Travis quietly asked a few minutes later. "The view, I mean."

  
"Yeah," I sighed out, smiling a bit as a sense of peace finally began to wear away at the stress of the past few days. "It really is."

  
The two of us remained there until sunset.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
When the two of them got back to Cloud's house, it was dinner time. 

  
"-should talk to her," Cassie was saying quietly as they entered the kitchen. 

  
Tifa felt more than a bit of trepidation at that, more so when she saw how serious Castalia looked when she said it.

  
"I'll head over there tomorrow," Mrs. Strife told her, looking tired and concerned. "Thanks for telling me, Cassie."

  
Now she was confused. Weren't they talking about her and what she'd said? Before either of them could ask (and she could tell Cloud wanted to ask from the look on his face), Mrs. Strife noticed them and quickly smiled.

  
"Oh! Cloud, Tifa, you're back! Cassie came back not too long ago too- almost giving me a heart attack in the process."

  
"I said I was sorry, Ma..."

  
"Next time go tell me you're up and about right away instead of coming in through the front door while I'm frantically searching for you."

  
"You went out?" Cloud asked.

  
"A bit after you did," she said with a nod. "Needed some fresh air."

  
Tifa felt herself shake as Castalia finally turned to look at her. Cloud had said she wouldn't- but how could he be sure? She'd said something _awful_ , and-

  
And Castalia was smiling at her. "I'm glad you're back, Tifa."

  
Her jumbled thoughts froze. "W-What?"

  
It looked like she was going to say something, but then she stopped and stood up. "Come on, we haven't really hung out for a while. Cloud can stay here with Ma."

  
Panic flared up in her, and she sent a pleading look toward her friend only to find him already distracting Ms. Strife as Castalia led her away from the kitchen. Feeling like she was walking to her doom, she struggled to get her suddenly heavy legs to move, which was made harder by the fact that she couldn't really feel the rest of her body anymore. Somehow she managed, and after an endless instant, she found herself alone with Castalia in her room.

  
This was it. Cloud was wrong. Castalia was only leading her away because she didn't want anyone else to hear how much she hated her and was going to tell her to stay away forever and-

  
She felt herself jump at the sudden warmth that wrapped around her.

  
" _Breathe_ , Tifa. Deep breaths. Come on now, with me."

  
It took her a few moments to get her quick, shallow breaths under control but matching them with Castalia's definitely helped. 

  
"There you go," she murmured, looking concerned as she pulled away. "Are you feeling better?"

  
Her heart gave a painful twist at the question. Why would she still be worried about her after what she'd said? 

  
Why-...? 

  
"Why don't you _hate_ me?"

  
She could barely hear her own voice when she asked it, although that might have been because her heart seemed to be beating so loudly in her ears.

  
Castalia sighed.

  
"I could never _hate_ you, Tifa," she said softly. "I won't lie, what you said really hurt, but in the end...I was more sad and worried than angry."

  
"Worried?"

  
"Of course."

  
"Because...you think of me like a little sister? Cloud said you did," she added at the older girl's surprised look.

  
Castalia smiled a bit. "And he'd be right."

  
She blinked a few times, her eyes quickly becoming glassy with tears.

  
"I'm sorry!" she sobbed, leaning forward to wrap her arms around Castalia as tightly as she could. "I don't hate you! I didn't mean it! I didn't!"

  
Castalia was hugging her just as tightly, and it was just so _warm_ and _familiar_ -

  
_I love you, Tifa._

  
Her mother's smile flashed in her mind- full of love and pride and so, so _real_ that for a moment, it was like she was _there_.

  
"M-Mama," she whimpered, the word she hadn't allowed herself to say filling her heart with the sharp pain of loss and loneliness.

  
She missed her so _much_.

  
As if something in her had just been waiting for her to admit that, it was like everything that hadn't exploded out of her earlier rushed out in a deep, sorrowful wail.

  
"Mama, _why_?!"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Matt paused in eating his lunch when he noticed his traveling companion staring blankly down the path they'd come from. "Ulric? Something wrong?"

  
The other man seemed to snap out of it but still seemed downcast as he brought his attention back to his meal. "I-... My daughter just came to mind, is all..."

  
He nodded, sympathy softening his gaze. "I know it's not easy, being so far away. Heaven knows that the first time Skye and I took a trip without the kids, we were fretting the whole time- and we'd left them with my parents!"

  
"Then why...?"

  
"Did we leave?" He sighed at Ulric's nod. "The first time, it was my mom's suggestion. It took her and my pop to convince us, and every time we called, they just laughed and told us not to worry so much. Of course, that _did_ happen to be the time that Cloud had an unfortunate encounter with one of their chocobos and we ended up cutting the trip short anyway, but I think what they were trying to teach us is that while it's important to be there for them, we should also take care of ourselves. I have to admit we'd been running ourselves a bit ragged at the time, and those few moments where we weren't worrying about what could be happening _were_ nice."

  
"And the other trips?"

  
"The second was our honeymoon. Luckily, nothing bad happened that time. The third was when Castalia insisted we celebrate our anniversary a year later, claiming she was old enough to look after things while we were gone. We still had Cole and a few others check in on them, but it went well enough for us to feel more comfortable with the idea of leaving them at home. After a couple more trial runs, we felt we could take the occasional trip without feeling anxious or guilty. I'd be lying if I said we didn't worry about them at all, but it's easier than before."

  
"I see...and you hope to do something similar with me? To get me to focus on _myself_ for a bit?"

  
"That's part of it," he admitted. "All of us could tell you've been more than stressed lately, and you're not going to be any good to Tifa if you're still caught up in your own grief." He ignored the slight flinch his comment caused but made sure to keep his tone kind. "The other part of it is that I really think this will help you deal with your loss and help you move forward."

  
"But _how_? Why Cosmo Canyon? What could possibly be there that I couldn't find somewhere else?"

  
"It's not something you can _find_ so much as something you can _learn_. I don't think I can do the explanation justice, so just trust me until we get there."

  
"I suppose...I have nothing to lose by doing so."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Tifa was tired. 

  
Tired of being angry...Tired of all the hurt...

  
Just _tired_. 

  
Castalia hadn't let go the entire time she'd been crying, but the warmth that had caused her tears had changed. It didn't feel like her mama was there anymore. While the loss of it made her sad, it was like all of her energy was gone, and all she wanted to do was sleep and sleep and _sleep_.

  
Castalia's humming wasn't helping either, but...

  
"I've never heard this song before," she mumbled, burying her face into her shoulder. "Did you make it?"

  
"...No," Castalia murmured back after a moment. "It's-...It's something I heard a long time ago." She sighed quietly. "I don't remember the words anymore, but...I remember I liked it because it-...It reminded me of my mom."

  
Her hands tightened their hold on her shirt.

  
"Sorry. I just thought-"

  
"No," she cut her off. "It's pretty...I-...I think Mama would have liked it too."

  
She was surprised to hear a sniffle, and when she looked up, she saw Castalia's eyes were full of tears.

  
"She loved you, Tifa. She loved you so, _so_ much. Don't _ever_ forget, okay?"

  
The arms around her tightened, and when Castalia continued, the words were sad and quiet, but firm. 

  
"...I know it hurts...It's never going to _stop_ hurting, but...it gets easier to deal with- especially with the help of the people you care about. And I-...I'll be there for you too...to help you stand up and keep going, even when it feels like you can't...That sound good, little sis?"

  
Her heart hurt, and it felt like something was in her throat, making it too painful to speak, but she nodded.

  
"It's a promise, then."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 13**

  
"Thanks for coming to see me," I told my guest, setting down some leftovers from lunch in front of him. "Though I _am_ a bit surprised by it, to be honest."

  
"What? And here I thought we were friends," Ryuu said with a grin before picking up a fork. "Thank you. This looks great."

  
"And now your true intention comes out," I laughed. "You just came for the food."

  
"This is just luck," he denied cheerfully before adopting a more serious expression. "Joking aside, I really did want to visit. I've heard a lot of talk about you this last week and a half. You're quite the hero...but you don't look too happy about that."

  
"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I managed to help as much as I did. But, I wish-..." I sighed. "I dunno _what_ I wish. I just want them to stop."

  
"A real hero is always a hero by mistake."

  
"Huh?"

  
"It's something my dad would say to me whenever I brought up my desire to join the military. At first, I had no idea what he was talking about, but...I think I get it now. Real heroes aren't the ones who actively go out to search for the glory or prestige that saving people would give them. They're the ones who find themselves thrust into bad situations without warning, but still do whatever they can to help."

  
I snickered.

  
"Hey! I'm trying to offer some comforting wisdom here! What's so funny?"

  
"Sorry. It's just so... _cheesy_."

  
"Hmph, see if I ever try to help you out again." His smile quickly turned into a smirk. "Though I suppose that little brother of yours has you covered, what with sending death glares at any attractive older guy who gets within five feet of you."

  
I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "Who _told_ you?"

  
"Mr. Tuesti _may_ have mentioned a few things while we were heading up to the reactor," he admitted. "He thought it was cute."

  
"Of _course_ he did," I sighed. "Damn it, this is one of those things that's going to follow me _forever_ , isn't it?"

  
Well, if there was any doubt that he knew about my crush on him before, it was definitely gone now.

  
"Maybe not _forever_ ," was the hedged response, "but it probably won't end any time soon either."

  
"Great. Though now that you know, you mind if I ask how you got Cloud to let you in?"

  
"Oh, he didn't let me in, your mom did while she was on her way out."

  
"...Yeah," I sighed again. "Yeah, that makes sense."

  
Ma wouldn't miss an opportunity to poke a bit of fun at me like this, especially now that Da wasn't around to hover around protectively. Although, that did make me wonder where Cloud was...Probably with Tifa, now that I thought about it.

  
"Guess this means I have your mother's seal of approval?" he asked teasingly, his eyebrows even going so far to wriggle up and down.

  
Such a question could only be met with one response.

  
"Oof! Hey, now," he pouted while the chair cushion I'd thrown fell from his face to his lap, "that was uncalled for!"

  
"It wasn't not uncalled for."

  
He opened his mouth, paused, then made a face. "...That...was a double negative."

  
"You are correct."

  
" _Why_?"

  
His voice was so distraught I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. It looked like I'd found a person who was even more bothered by certain grammatical choices than Da.

  
Good to know.

  
"I like messing around like that once in a while," I said before grinning. "I didn't realize it would aggravate your delicate sensibilities though, Your Highn-ack!" 

  
The cushion had been thrown back and had hit its mark, but I found myself laughing again regardless of that. Luckily, I'd been right in thinking that Ryuu was a laid-back guy himself because he joined me after a few moments.

  
"My dad always said that no matter what I decided to do with my life, it's no excuse to be a lout," Ryuu offered as an explanation once we'd settled down. "He wouldn't force me to study, but the thing about him is that his words are frighteningly effective. If you're not careful, you could find yourself doing something you'd never thought you'd do- _happily_."

  
"Sounds scary," I said with a smile, amusement bubbling up within me as I thought about how Ma would _love_ to meet Ryuu's da for that alone.

  
"I promise he only wields his words for good," Ryuu laughed. "Mostly. There was this one time he tried to convince a merchant to give away this crazy rare tea- or so he's told me -for free. It didn't work, but there you go."

  
I laughed again. If Ryuu- or rather, _LuTen's_ father was who I thought it was, then I could definitely believe a general from ShinRa's army would do something like that.

  
I had to admit, while I'd been more than a little shocked and incredulous at the realization of who I was speaking with, I was happy too. He might have had a different name, and no memories of Avatars or worlds that could have been, but he was _alive_. Sure, he was still part of a meaningless war, but as he wasn't a prince, he had a better chance to live past it than his other self had. 

  
I sincerely hoped that ended up being the case.

  
"All this aside, I really _am_ glad you came to visit," I told him. "To be honest, I expected you to be busy patrolling the town or something."

  
"I was for a while," he said, "but it's calmed down. Any remaining monsters in the area have either been taken care of or have found their way back up the mountain. Now most of us are just antsy while waiting around for orders."

  
I frowned a bit. "Reeve hasn't said anything?"

  
I knew there was some stalling going on, but I would have thought he'd have something by now. It had been almost two weeks since the attack. 

  
"He wants to wait for some of the more injured staff to recover, but other than that, he's been practically glued to his phone. Then whenever he's not on his phone, he's in that old mansion arguing with Professor Hojo."

  
He was _what_?! 

  
Ryuu was still talking, unaware of the horror his words had just instilled. "Mr. Tuesti wants to finish the rebuilding, but the Professor's been shutting him down- says it's too risky. And honestly? I kind of have to agree." He sighed and crossed his arms. "I get that he doesn't want to leave the work that we suffered for unfinished. I do. But...not counting the construction workers, we lost quite a few infantry at the reactor and one of the other SOLDIERs is in pretty bad shape. That leaves three of us to provide the main offense in case things go south, and we barely managed the _first_ time."

  
I nodded, though I knew it was barely a bob of the head at best. What in the world was that man _thinking_? If he angered Hojo enough, that psycho was liable to make him disappear; and I wasn't sure the President would care despite Reeve being in charge of a large part of Midgar's construction. 

  
Then again, I realized with a chill running up my spine, Reeve didn't _know_ that, did he?

  
He still had faith in the company- faith that wouldn't break until the people he worked with decided to drop a plate and kill _thousands_. As perceptive as he was, he was still so frighteningly ignorant of his coworkers' true natures. 

  
I'm sure there were plenty of people who didn't like Hojo's attitude, but he couldn't have gotten as high up in the company by flaunting his complete disregard of morals and human life for all to see. So, that meant that there were probably still countless people who were ignorant to his true nature; and those who _did_ know couldn't care less.

  
"It's really peaceful, but I can't help missing the hustle and bustle of Midgar. Uh- not that it's _bad_ here, just a little too calm. Wait, that didn't come out right either."

  
"Don't worry, Ryuu. I get it." 

  
"Oh good." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I just seem to keep putting my foot in my mouth whenever we talk."

  
Despite my new worries, I smiled a bit. "And here I thought it was just me."

  
It seemed it was the right thing to say since his cheerful expression returned. "Guess we'll have to work on that, huh?"

  
"Guess so."

  
"What's your PHS number? I'll register it so we can keep in touch even after I leave."

  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out something that took me a few moments to identify as a phone. It was the sort of rectangular, blocky thing that I hadn't seen in _years_ \- even in my old life -and it genuinely made me wonder how things like virtual reality could be so advanced here while cellphones still looked like _that_.

  
"Something wrong?"

  
"No," I replied quickly, stalling for a moment to think up an excuse for my staring. "It's just...I-...uh-..." Wait, that was it. "I don't have a PHS."

  
Now it was his turn to stare. "You...don't have a PHS? How-?"

  
"Country kid, remember?" I said, playing off my fading disbelief as embarrassment. "We don't really need them here."

  
"Right...Well, when you finally get a chance to catch up to the rest of the world-" I playfully rolled my eyes while he reached into his pocket again to pull out a pen and a scrap of paper. "-give me a ring."

  
"Will do."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 15**

  
That was it, then.

  
Reeve sighed as he finished packing the few sets of clothes that had made their way out of his luggage. In the end, the president had sided with Professor Hojo, and they were all to return to Midgar as soon as possible.

  
It wasn't the first time he'd wanted to hurl something at the head of the Science Department (and probably not the last), but something about the other man's smug expression at the end of that call had been especially grating.

  
He still couldn't help but feel something was off about all of this. 

  
As he'd been doing for the past two weeks, he went over everything again. Taking into account that the set-up had been the same as with the other reactors, the explosion shouldn't have happened. That it _had_ meant that something had changed somewhere. The question was _how_.

  
And _why_.

  
He shook his head. That last thought was slipping into dangerous territory, yet it stubbornly clung to him, refusing to be pushed aside. The idea that it _hadn't_ been an accident made him feel ill. He couldn't imagine why someone would intentionally cause something that would hurt so many people. But, it made the most _sense_ -

  
He groaned in frustration, violently flinging the pillow on the bed at the wall before sighing and walking over to pick it up.

  
Regardless of why it had happened, there wasn't anything he could do about it anymore. At least, not _now_. He would move on, but there was no way he was going to forget. As soon as the scrutiny died down, he would find a way to come back and do a more thorough investigation. He owed it to the people of this village and to those under his command that he'd lost. 

  
"Mreow?"

  
He looked down, smiling a bit at the innkeeper's cat. It was a scruffy looking thing, dark in color except for the white fur on its paws. For some reason, it had taken a shine to him and had constantly sought him out whenever he was inside. It was probably the only reason he wasn't treated as coldly as the others by the owner.

  
"I'm afraid you'll have to find someone else to keep you company now," he told it, gently scratching its head. 

  
It leaned into the touch, closing its eyes and purring softly.

  
"You've endeared me quite a bit to cats, you know. I may even get one of my own."

  
It began licking its paws, making him laugh. 

  
"Glad you approve. Well then, my friend, this is where we part ways."

  
Another meow and the cat curled up on the bed, clearly ready to go to sleep. He chuckled and picked up his suitcase, quickly making his way downstairs and out the door, where he could see the trucks being loaded up (with less cargo _and_ people than they'd arrived with, he reminded himself sorrowfully- though some of those missing people were ones who had chosen to stay behind).

  
"Reeve, you're _okay_!"

  
His case fell to the floor with a thump as he quickly caught a frantic fifteen-year-old who had rushed over and thrown her arms around him in a hug.

  
"Castalia, what-?"

  
"I thought something had _happened_ to you, you jerk! You only visit once- and it's when I'm _unconscious_ -and then I don't see you at all until you're about to _leave_?! I've been looking for you for _days_! I thought-... I thought-..."

  
She was trembling, he noted, his gaze softening even while guilt rushed through him. 

  
"I'm sorry. I didn't think-" _you'd want to see me._

  
Castalia's mother had implied she wouldn't mind him visiting, but...it had been hard to accept, especially with how almost every other person in town had been treating them. 

  
"Clearly you didn't," she sniffled, her hold tightening. "You shouldn't make a habit of it- stupidity doesn't suit you."

  
If his laugh was a bit watery when he hugged her back and agreed, neither of them were pointing it out.

  
Eventually, Castalia seemed to realize what she was doing since she pulled away, her cheeks flushed as she stammered apologies. 

  
"Cute," he teased, chuckling when her face flared an even deeper red.

  
In all honesty, he was touched and humbled that she still considered him _worthy_ of having a crush on. After all, if he had never come to Nibelheim, she would have never gotten hurt. She had all the right in the world to hate him just as much as anyone, but she didn't. 

  
She really was a good kid.

  
"Now you're just being mean," she huffed, bringing him out of his thoughts as she crossed her arms with an embarrassed expression. "I worry over your safety and this is the thanks I get? That's it, I don't like you anymore."

  
"Your face says otherwise, my dear," he grinned.

  
"Oh my _god_ ," she choked, burying her burning face in her hands. "Reeve, you asshole. What the hell did I do to you?"

  
"Such _language_."

  
"I hate you. I'm telling your girlfriend."

  
His grin shifted into a fond smile. "I'll be sure to write."

  
Her face was still red when she peeked through her hands, but she was smiling too. "You'd better. Or I'll never forgive you for messing with me like this."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 16**

  
" _SURPRISE_!!"

  
Cloud felt his eyes widen in shock. 

  
It wasn't so much over the fact that there was a party at all- despite recent events, he knew Ma and Castalia wouldn't just let the day slide by without doing something -but rather that it looked like the whole town had gotten into it. Tables had been set up outside, laden with food and drink. There were a few radios scattered around, all tuned to the same station so that the central plaza was filled with upbeat music- a few people already dancing away. There were even streamers and balloons hung up on the surrounding houses, as well as a banner spread across the legs of the water tower with "Happy Birthday, Cloud!" writted in bright, colorful lettering.

  
"I-I... _what_?"

  
"I know, right?" Castalia laughed. "It's crazy how they managed to set this up without you noticing. It was _not_ easy distracting you, that's for sure."

  
"No, not that," although she did bring up a pretty good point, "It's just-... I mean-... _Why_?"

  
Her joviality faded, replaced with a more melancholy expression. "Honestly? I think they just needed something to cheer them up after everything that's happened. Your birthday gave them a reason to celebrate. Well, that and ShinRa finally leaving yesterday, but no one here is going to admit that."

  
"Oh..."

  
"Not that they're using it as an _excuse_!" she continued, her smile back in place. "There's a good amount of presents waiting for you, and a lot of them are things that were ordered through the shop way before this. That means that they were planning on doing something for you anyway- though probably not as grand as this."

  
"I...don't know what to say."

  
He knew that he and his Ma weren't the village outcasts anymore- it had been one of the first things he'd noticed after waking up in the past. But...it hadn't hit him quite so _strongly_ as it was now.

  
It was-... This was-...

  
Castalia placed an arm over his shoulders and pulled him close, leaning her head on his. "It's nice, isn't it?"

  
"...Yeah."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Day 17**

  
The hour was late when Vincent once again found himself entering through a window. Taking care to make as little noise as possible, he walked over to Castalia's bed, smiling a bit at the improved complexion before gently shaking her.

  
"Castalia."

  
"Hmm..."

  
"Castalia, wake up."

  
" _Nngh_. G'way, Cloud. 'Snot yer birthday 'nymore. L'mme sleep..."

  
"I apologize for this, but I figured you wouldn't be able to leave town for a while, given the circumstances."

  
"Hwah...?" She groaned a bit, her eyes opening a bit before her bleary gaze landed on him. "Wait...yer not Cloud..."

  
He couldn't quite hold back a soft huff of laughter. This was a side of his friend that he hadn't seen before, and it was more than a little amusing.

  
She blinked a few more times, and then she was awake, scrambling to get out of her bed. 

  
" _Vincent_!" she exclaimed softly. "What're you-? Actually, never mind that. Are you okay?! Nothing went wrong in the- w-whoa!"

  
His arms shot out, catching her before she hit the floor, then untangled the sheets wrapped around her legs and set her back on the bed. 

  
"Sorry. Thanks for that."

  
"It's fine," he reassured her. "As am I. But you-"

  
"Don't," she warned, shaking her head. "I had a feeling you might have dropped by at some point while I was out. Look, there was no way you could have been there when it happened, and you know how I feel about unnecessary guilt."

  
"I know," he murmured before sitting down beside her. "I'm glad you're all right."

  
"Yeah..." She leaned against him with a sigh. "It-... It was _insane_ , Vin. Everything spiraled out of control so _fast_. There were monsters _everywhere_ , and I was so scared, and had no idea what I was _doing_ half the time, and a lot of people _died_ -" her voice broke a bit at the last part. She took a shaky breath, and when she continued, her voice was one of tired relief. "I'm so, _so_ happy to see you."

  
"Tell me what happened."

  
"...Should be fine, I guess. Everyone's pretty tired from Cloud's party, so they probably won't be waking up any time soon. We've got time."

  
As she began to recount the past couple of weeks, the knot of worry that he hadn't quite been able to dispell since he saw her injured slowly unraveled. He still felt a familiar spike of guilt as his hand- placed on her back as they moved to a more comfortable position -felt the unevenness of the skin beneath her shirt, but he did his best to push it aside.

  
She was _here_ , awake and alive...that was all that mattered.

  
"...You did well," he told her once she'd finished.

  
She smiled weakly. "Sure doesn't _feel_ like it..."

  
"The first few encounters with genuine dangers never do. It becomes easier with time and experience."

  
"Still wish I'd had the gun you gave me at the time," she muttered, wrapping an arm around him.

  
He began running a hand through her hair, the now familiar gesture as comforting to him as it seemed to be for her. "That may have helped, yes...I'm sure that after all of this, no one will find it odd if you showed an interest in firearms."

  
She snorted. "An interest. Right."

  
He smirked.

  
A brief silence.

  
"...Will you train me some more?"

  
"Of course."

  
"Thank you."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~4 Months after attack**

  
"Cassie, did ya check the inventory?"

  
"Yes, Cole. You asked me to this morning, remember?"

  
"Just making sure."

  
I huffed at that but gave no other signs of complaint as I cleared out some space on my work table. 

  
"What about the order form?"

  
I rolled my eyes. "Filled and sent- and yes, before you ask, I did check the prices!"

  
"Hey, watch the tone, missy!"

  
"You watch yours, you old geezer!"

  
" _Geezer_?! You-!"

  
"Hi, Mr. Falkov! I'm here for my lesson!"

  
I smirked at the sigh, knowing that Cole wouldn't risk letting loose his stronger profanity now that there was a more...impressionable audience. It was a shame- he was getting really creative with it.

  
"Cassie's in the back," he gruffed out. "Leave your stuff here and get to it."

  
"Yessir!"

  
I choked back a laugh at the chipper response, though I didn't bother hiding my grin when I saw him peeking into the back room over our visitor's head with a long-suffering expression. Cole scowled when he saw it, but after all these years, I knew it was halfhearted at best.

  
He was such a softy.

  
"Hi, Cassie! Er- I mean-"

  
"Cassie's fine, Helena," I said with a shake of my head. "You don't have to call me anything special- especially since I'm not a Master yet."

  
"But you _will_ be as soon as I pass the test, right? So I should get used to it."

  
"We've still got a while to go before that, so don't worry. Besides, I've never cared much for titles anyway."

  
"You should," Cole cut in, coming in to set some boxes down before straightening up with a huff. "This works out, and you'll be the youngest Master Alchemist in the guild in what, eighty years?"

  
"Sixty."

  
"Even so! That's an _accomplishment_ , damn it! Take pride in it!"

  
I ignored Helena's giggle, but couldn't stop a pleased smile from slipping onto my face.

  
There were many alchemists spread throughout Gaia (though not so many new ones due to ShinRa's advancements in mass production), but in order to claim Mastery, one needed to take on a student and get them to pass the test for their own alchemist's license. It was something that I hadn't expected to even be _close_ to achieving for a while, but looking back, I supposed I shouldn't have been so surprised.

  
The townsfolk had been nothing if not driven since ShinRa's disastrous visit.

  
Even now, months later, it was a bit staggering to see how much Nibelheim had changed in so little time. There were more houses now, occupied by some of the construction workers and infintry men who had chosen to stay behind, any spouses and children they had arriving later. And because we now _had_ people who specialized in construction and combat living here, other aspects of our town began to change as well. Mayor Lockhart's plan of making Nibelheim mako-energy (and therefore ShinRa) free by using ideas he'd gotten from Cosmo Canyon was well underway with the aid of the construction workers. The soldiers created a more professional (and effective) defense group, which freed up the neighborhood watch volunteers of before to pursue other things. 

  
Da had gone back to studying engineering. When he wasn't helping with construction or repair, he was researching ways to streamline all the designs that were being used, as well as trying to figure out how to make all of our utilities and such work with our future alternative energy sources. The twins took up a lot of Ma's time, but I'd seen her going over her various cookbooks a lot lately, occasionally writing a recipe down in a notebook. 

  
Some of the other notable changes were the establishment of a blacksmith, a tailor, and what seemed to be the beginnings of a more expansive clinic.

  
With all of the new shops, there were more apprenticeship opportunities as well which, in turn, motivated a lot of the kids in their schooling. One of those newly motivated kids ended up being Helena who, as it turned out, had been serious about her interest in item synthesis. She had pushed herself to be at an acceptable enough level to start learning, and had hounded me to take her on as a student until I reluctantly gave in. 

  
It wasn't that I didn't want to teach her, but more that I wasn't sure how good of a teacher I would be. There was still a lot I had to learn myself, and other than the occasional trip to Granma and Granda's ranch, I'd never ventured outside of town since my arrival eleven years ago. How much more was out there to see? To learn? Maybe I could find something that would help with my project. Now that achieving my mastery wasn't some sort of distant goal, I'd found myself almost...restless with the opportunities it presented. So, I pushed my doubts aside and put everything I had into making sure Helena would pass her test with flying colors. Likewise, she seemed to be a very eager and attentive student. If she kept up the pace, I wouldn't be surprised if she was ready to take the test in a year's time. If she passed, then she would be able to take over at the shop, and then...

  
And then...

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Today was the day.

  
"See you, Cole! Helena, make sure you read up on potions. You're going to synthesize your first one tomorrow."

  
" _Really_?!"

  
He finally felt comfortable enough in his physical capabilities to chance another attempt at reaching the mansion, but, before that...

  
" _Yes_ , really," Castalia laughed. "So read up and get lots of rest. You're going to need every ounce of energy you can get."

  
Before that...

  
Cloud watched as Castalia finished saying her goodbyes before adjusting a plainly wrapped box under her arm and walking off.

  
He was going to find out where his sister always snuck off to.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"I still think you've lost your mind, Angeal. We're finally old enough to be treated like adults and you want to take on a _student_? What in the world has possessed you for you to think this is a _good_ idea? "

  
"They do say that if you want to master something, you need to teach it."

  
"Who? _Who_ says that? Tell me so that _I_ may teach _them_ the error of such a statement."

  
"I think there's wisdom in it."

  
"Yes, for the incompetent idiot who needs to instruct someone stupider than themselves in order to finally grasp a concept- which _we_ are _not_."

  
A roll of eyes. "You're not going to change my mind on this, Gen."

  
"Tch, _fine_. Then at least tell me which snot-nosed brat I'll have the misfortune of having to interact with for the next few years."

  
"Well...I haven't exactly chosen one, but there's a boy in SOLDIER Prep who's been showing impressive scores on his evaluations. I was planning on talking with his instructors after lunch."

  
"At least you're being _somewhat_ sensible about this," was the grumbled response. "I would have had to report you to Hollander under suspicion of a compromised mental state if you wanted to choose from the bottom of the barrel."

  
"Be nice. They all have a good chance of making it into SOLDIER."

  
" _Right_. What's his name, anyway?"

  
"Zachary Fair."

  
"Sounds stupid."

  
"Genesis..."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

  
With this, chapter ten is now complete, and ShinRa's visit to Nibelheim reaches its conclusion. 

  
Lots of stuff happening here. There will definitely be ramifications and ripples from everything that's been going on, some of which will be more immediate than others, and it will be fun to slowly deviate from "canon." Honestly, there should just be a chapter or two before we start hitting Before Crisis territory. I hope this has been a good buildup.

  
Moving on. Yes, the baby was born and- surprise! It's twins.

  
No, seriously, surprise! I was originally planning on there only being one baby, so I'm not sure at what point it became two...Anyway, while I loved all the suggestions for names, I have decided on going with Cirrus, for the older twin (light brown hair) and Rinan for the younger (blond hair). There is a method to my madness, however, and I'm sure you will spot it pretty quickly, especially with what I've just said. Thank you for all the feedback, though. I loved all of the names, and who knows? Maybe there will be another baby Strife down the line somewhere. I kind of like the idea of Cloud having a big family...

  
Let's see...we got some moments with Reeve (as well as one final salute to the Reeve/Castalia ship with a brief moment between the two), and Cole, as well as explaining where Skye and Cloud were during the attack. Tifa reached her limit, poor thing. There's only so much a ten-year-old can take. Luckily, she and Castalia worked things out. 

  
We also got a peek at Angeal and Genesis at the end there, as well as mentions of Zack. 

  
Also, a hint at what's going to happen in the next chapter, which is something a lot of you have been waiting for. The pressure, the pressure...

  
That aside, will I be using content from the remake in Horizons? Yes. This is meant to be different from the original Playstation version, so if there are elements in the remake that I like, or I feel will fit, then you can bet on me including them. Anyway, that's about it for the edited FF notes. The next two chapters should be up sometime tomorrow, and then we'll be caught up. See you all tomorrow.

  
P.S.: Reeve was made even _more_ handsome in the remake. It's just not fair.


	12. Prelude: The Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud finally meets Vincent, but comes to a disconcerting realization, Castalia makes a decision, and a few time skips happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back when I first began this story, there wasn't really a lot of information about the world itself (you can imagine the sheer frustration I felt at that, I'm sure), so I ended up making some of it up. Since the release of the remake, there is a lot more that has been made available as the world of FF7 has been fleshed out. There are a few things that I wrote that have since been confirmed, and some that have been made obsolete. I'm putting it all here so that you know where we stand before the next story arc. So, as of the beginning of this chapter:
> 
> **Year:** [ μ ] - εуλ 1998
> 
> **Date:** October 13th
> 
> ** Ages **
> 
> **President Shinra:** 58, 1940
> 
> **Palmer:** 55, 1943
> 
> **Hojo:** 53, 1945
> 
> **Heidegger:** 49, 1949
> 
> **Vincent:** 48 (physically 34), 10/13/50 (Has there been a Remake Ultimania age declared for him? I haven't seen one and he does _not_ look like he got shot in his thirties)
> 
> **Matt:** 34, 3/19/64
> 
> **Cole:** 33, 9/17/65
> 
> **Skye:** 31, 6/24/67
> 
> **Scarlett:** 31, 1967
> 
> **Reeve:** 26, 7/2/72 (Got the year right, but still no official month or day for him. We're going with mine for now)
> 
> **Barret:** 24, 12/15/72
> 
> **Cid:** 23, 2/22/75 (a bit younger than I expected, but that seems to be the case all around for the most part and it still works in the context of the story)
> 
> **Tseng:** 21, ?/?/77 (How is he 30?! How?! He never flippin' ages!)
> 
> **Rufus:** 21, ?/?/77
> 
> **Rude:** 21, ?/?/77 (I still want an actual date for him. Also, this means that he's crushing on a girl ten years his junior...Castalia sure would empathize with that sort of age gap)
> 
> **Reno:** 19, ?/?/79 (Wasn't expecting Reno to be older than the Firsts to be honest)
> 
> **Angeal:** 18, ?/?/80 (When I come up with a good birthday, I want him to be the oldest)
> 
> **Genesis:** 18, ?/?/80 (The middle child)
> 
> **Sephiroth:** 18, ?/?/80 (The youngest)
> 
> **Ryuu (Lu Ten):** 16, 12/18/1981
> 
> **Biggs:** 16, ?/?/82
> 
> **Castalia:** 16, 10/12/82 (October 12th is actually my birthday. I couldn't resist once I knew Vincent's)
> 
> **Red XIII:** 48, ?/?/1950 (apparently, he'd only be around 15-16 in human years, so he goes here)
> 
> **Elena:** 15, ?/?/1983 (She and Reno were the only ones I'd planned on being Cassie's age, but since Reno's age has changed, it's just Elena, and I kinda like her being younger now)
> 
> **Zack:** 14, ?/?/1984
> 
> **Jessie:** 14, ?/?/1984 (Huh...I thought she was Cloud's age)
> 
> **Aerith:** 13, 2/7/85
> 
> **Cloud:** 12, 8/11/86 (I really liked the idea of it being on the 19th instead, but August 11th is the official date now, so...)
> 
> **Tifa:** 11, 5/3/87
> 
> **Wedge:** 11 (Aw, he's so young :D)
> 
> **Yuffie:** 5, 11/20/91
> 
> And finally, **Cirrus/Rinan:** Almost 4 months, 7/28/98
> 
> With the new Ultimania ages, Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal (who were originally a few years older in my fic) would be twelve when they go to Wutai. I debated quite a bit as to whether or not I should move the war further down the timeline because of this, but ultimately decided not to. It figures that if anyone would have child soldiers, it would be ShinRa, doesn't it. Hojo and Hollander probably had a say in it too, wanting some combat data or something. For obvious reasons though, even ShinRa knows that it wouldn't be good to reveal the ages of their new, shining stars just yet, so they are keeping it under wraps.
> 
> Any birthday with a (?) is one that I haven't come up with an exact date for yet. Suggestions?
> 
> Also, yes, I am aware of the age that Zack actually went to Midgar, so me saying it's fourteen is not a mistake. That's just Cassie basing her timeline on the age Cloud is said to have left Nibelheim (which, to be fair, is an easy mistake to make with no way to fact check). There's a little scene at the end of chapter 10 that shows this.
> 
> If there's one thing that kind of bothers me though, it's that these new dates make Angeal's mentorship of Zack kind of strange. I thought the age gap between them was bigger than four years- he looks like he's a lot older, at any rate, but maybe that's the mako. It's weird, but whatever, I guess. I'll make it work.
> 
> Anyway, that's about all I have to say for now. Please read on.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**The Decision**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"Cloud, what were you _thinking_?! You could have gotten seriously hurt!"

  
If the situation hadn't been so serious, I would have laughed at the strange expression on Cloud's face- guilt mixed with frustration and a hint of stubborn rebelliousness. If there was any indication that he was on the transition into teenagerdom, this was probably it. As it was, however, I was too busy treating the cut on his arm to feel up to teasing him about it.

  
The day had started out well enough. I'd woken up, spent the morning with Ma, Da, Cloud, and the twins before heading to the shop for a few hours, had lunch at home, and then started making my way to ShinRa manor. It was as I'd been traveling the familiar path that the wolf had attacked, and the situation quickly deteriorated when Cloud had _jumped in front of me_.

  
"...You always disappear," he muttered, looking away from me. "I was worried."

  
Just like that, any anger I had vanished. Ugh, why couldn't I stay _mad_ at this kid? I had even found myself more amused than anything at the glares he would send the village boys when they got too close. If they were wary now, I could only imagine how they would react to an overprotective _adult_ Cloud.

  
No, no, mind on the moment. I couldn't get distracted right now.

  
"Cloud..." I sighed. "I can take care of myself, you know. Master Zangan's been teaching me since I was _eight_ , and we both know I can take on something a lot worse than a wolf with my materia."

  
"I _know_ that. It's just..."

  
"You don't want me to get hurt."

  
"No."

  
"How do you think _I_ feel then? My heart just about stopped when that wolf grazed you."

  
"Sorry..."

  
"...Come on, let's go home. Maybe if we ask nicely, Cole will give you a materia bangle of your own. That way, when you do something like this again- and don't even _try_ to deny it -I won't worry so much."

  
His head snapped up. "Can't I go where you're going?"

  
I hesitated, memories of the last time Cloud ventured into the mansion coming to the forefront of my mind. While it was much safer than before, I still wasn't comfortable with the idea. "...What makes you think I'm going anywhere?

  
He glared. It was actually a pretty impressive one too. "Just because I skip class doesn't mean I'm stupid."

  
"That's not what I-..." I sighed and shook my head. "You know what, I'm not going anywhere _near_ that topic. You and Ma go at it enough as it is. And speaking of Ma, I'll keep this from her on one condition."

  
"What?"

  
"You don't tell _anyone_ about where I'm taking you."

  
To be honest, I actually didn't want Cloud to meet Vincent. It made me feel like there was no other choice than to let him go to ShinRa. The place where, if Vincent and I didn't manage to change anything, would only bring him pain and suffering...

  
I thought back to that day all those years ago, and the question I'd asked myself while I'd been at Cloud's bedside after he'd fallen off the water tower. 

  
Only now, I knew my answer.

  
Despite that, I kept walking toward the manor. As much as I didn't want to, the odds were that Cloud would need Vincent's help one day; and I would sooner hand myself over to ShinRa with a full disclosure of who I was before not making sure my little brother had every single advantage he could get. 

  
I just hoped it was the right decision to bring them together now.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_'She can't possibly be taking me where I think she is...'_

  
Cloud followed behind Castalia with a slowly deepening frown, which turned to a burst of anger when they turned onto a familiar path. It was only because of the fact that this was the closest he'd been to the mansion since coming back that he managed to keep himself from yelling at her. 

  
_'What in the world is she **thinking**?! She could get seriously hurt! There are things a lot worse than Nibel Wolves in there!'_

  
He paused, and with a chill, he realized that she probably already knew that- that she had been going inside the mansion for who knew _how_ long and no one ever realized it.

  
_'I don't care what I promised, as soon as we get home, I'm telling Ma.'_

  
No doubt Castalia would be furious, and it would only be that much harder to sneak away himself, but if it meant keeping her safe...

  
Almost as if she'd read his mind, she started talking. "I mean it, Cloud. Not one word to anyone, okay? I'm trusting you to keep this a secret."

  
"Okay." _'Sorry, Castalia, but you're in way over your head.'_

  
He could worry about that later, though. Right now, he had to concentrate on what he would do once they were inside. He was in a much better place physically than he'd been before but had no delusions of strength. While he had the knowledge, this body was still too weak to go up against some of the monsters that inhabited the abandoned building. If they weren't careful, they would easily get overpowered- it was amazing that Castalia _hadn't_ yet. In the end, she really _was_ their best fighter right now, and he _hated_ it.

  
He was pulled out of his thoughts when they finally reached the door. Then, to his confusion, Castalia _knocked_.

  
_'Why would she do that? There's no one in there. Well, no one who could come to the door, anyway.'_

  
The knocking continued, and it was only after the first few taps that Cloud noticed a sort of pattern to it. Now he was even more confused, not to mention worried. Knocking would alert all the monsters to their presence.

  
Before he could pull her hand away, she stopped, and after a tense moment of silence, Cloud heard the lock click and saw the knob turn. He tensed, ready to fight- he had no past knowledge to fall back on here, and it was more than a little unsettling. As far as he knew, there was no one living in the mansion at this point in time before. What had he done to change that?

  
Of course, all thoughts came to a screeching halt at the sight of familiar red eyes, dark hair, and tattered cloak.

  
" _Vincent_?!"

  
He felt like putting his foot in his mouth for stupidity alone when both Vincent and Castalia turned to look at him in surprise. Luckily, he was spared an explanation when Castalia grinned. 

  
"Hey! You remembered!"

  
He knew his face still conveyed his own surprise, but he couldn't quite change it back. "Re-remembered?"

  
The grin fell, and she sighed. "Hmm, guess it was just the name and face. Still, it's kind of impressive for how young you were."

  
"Castalia," Vincent greeted with a nod, bringing their attention back to him. The gunman gave him a brief glance before turning his gaze to her with a raised brow. 

  
Castalia laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, Vincent. Cloud followed me today. Then he got hurt and I couldn't just _leave_ him..."

  
To his ever-growing shock, he saw Vincent's eyes soften at the statement. It wasn't something that anyone who didn't know him would notice, but it was there. Just what was going _on_ here? How long had Castalia been meeting up with Vincent to garner those sorts of reactions- and how in the world had they even met in the first place?

  
Wait, Castalia had said something about him remembering...

  
Had his younger self actually _met_ Vincent before today?

  
"Has he promised to keep our meetings secret?"

  
"I made him promise before I brought him," Castalia assured him before grinning. "Don't worry, you can trust Cloud."

  
While he _was_ a bit touched at the amount of trust Castalia had for him, and amused at the irony of it all, he was mostly frustrated at being so completely out of the loop.

  
'This is going to complicate things...'

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud still seemed kind of out of it as I led him inside, which was kind of worrying. Was he remembering what had happened the last time he'd been here?

  
"Cloud?" I asked after guiding him to the couch and sitting him down. "...You okay, Chicky?"

  
That seemed to be enough to shake him out of it, although he did send a quick, panicked glance towards Vincent. 

  
" _Castalia_ ," he protested quietly, his cheeks a bit pink. "Don't _call_ me that!"

  
I paused, a bit taken aback at his sudden rejection of the pet name.

  
When I thought about it, it made sense. Cloud was getting older, and I couldn't expect him to always like cutesy names like the one I'd been calling him. It was just that...well, he'd never actually been embarrassed or complained about it before now, even when in the presence of the other boys in town, so I hadn't been expecting it.

  
It kind of hurt too, but I did my best to hide that as I stepped back.

  
"...Okay, then."

  
I should have known Vincent would notice, though.

  
A reassuring hand settled on my shoulder, the silent comfort it provided welcome and familiar. Tilting my head back, I sent Vincent a quick smile of thanks before looking back at Cloud. 

  
Who was looking more than a little lost at the two of us.

  
"Oh...Sorry. I bet you're confused right now, huh? This is Vincent. He's a friend of mine who lives here in the manor, and I've been visiting him ever since he saved us."

  
"Saved?"

  
"Yeah. It looks like you don't remember too much about that day, but all you need to know is that we were both here when we were younger, and he helped us out."

  
"How?"

  
_All I could remember was the sheer terror I felt, and the pounding of my feet and heart as we ran. I was no match for them, Cloud was no match for them, and I had no clue if or when help was going to arrive..._

  
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It-... It was bad enough that it's probably for the best that you don't remember, Cloud."

  
"But-"

  
_Both of us looked over at the door just in time to see something ram into it from the other side. By the third one, Cloud had added constant screams to his crying, tightening his hold so much that I knew I wouldn't be able to find Vincent in time._

  
"Just leave it alone, okay? If you remember anything else, I promise I'll tell you, but...I'm not going to go into detail right now."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. While he understood what Castalia was trying to do, that didn't mean he was happy about it. Trying to push the subject would probably do more harm than good right now, however, so he reluctantly agreed.

  
"Thanks, Cloud...Oh! Before I forget! Happy birthday, Vin!" Castalia switched topics with a wide grin as she spun to face Vincent. "I brought you something!"

  
She reached over to grab the plain box he'd seen her carrying and eagerly handed it over. Vincent, to his growing astonishment, looked a bit taken aback but ultimately accepted the package with a small smile.

  
This wasn't the Vincent he'd known.

  
Although he had become more sociable with time, the Vincent of his past had always retained a sort of distance with the group. He didn't think that Vincent _hated_ interacting with others, but more that he was just a reserved person by nature, much like himself. That's why he'd always given the older man space and tended not to search him out unless it was important- or if they were planning a get-together. 

  
In fact, if it weren't for the phone that he'd finally gotten during that whole mess with Kadaj, most of them probably wouldn't have heard from him for months at a time. He was pretty sure that the only ones who could have claimed to have any sort of regular contact were Reeve and Yuffie, but that was only _after_ the Deepground incident. He could hardly imagine that same man celebrating his birthday in any form, much less willingly spending _years_ in this place just to keep a girl company. Though, he _did_ have a soft spot for children...

  
"These are still in the experimental stages," Castalia was saying as Vincent rolled something around in the palm of his hand. "But I figure if anyone could give them a proper test run, it's you. Just, uh, let me know about any problems that crop up, okay?"

  
"I'm sure they'll work fine. Thank you, Castalia."

  
There was that smile again. While he was glad that Vincent had managed to find some happiness of his own, seeing him like this was...jarring.

  
He also wasn't sure how to proceed from here.

  
All of his plans had taken into account a still sleeping Vincent. A Vincent who was still caught up in guilt and regrets, who was slow to trust and even slower to open up, and who would stubbornly refuse to leave his self-imposed imprisonment without some serious convincing- which would have probably ended up being his knowledge of the future. Once he'd gotten Vincent to hear him out, they could begin to plan the best way to deal with what was coming. He knew that Vincent enough to know that he _would_ help, even if it were reluctantly at first. 

  
_This_ Vincent was an unknown. 

  
He could still see the stoic, reserved man he had known, but...there was something else now. He was more talkative, for one thing. In the few minutes he'd been watching them, Vincent had been quietly conversing with Castalia. He was also more expressive, showing an active attentiveness to her responses and curiosity towards the next thing she brought out of the box (and were those _bullets_? Where did she _get_ those? Cole couldn't have given them to her). Lastly...he was more _relaxed_. The Vincent of old had never looked so at ease. The closest he had ever come was when they were all together, and even then it seemed like he was always alert- always waiting for something to happen. That he seemed so comfortable now said a lot for how much he didn't know about this new Vincent.

  
As if to prove this point even further, the man in question walked over to a small bookshelf (had that been there the last time?), picked up a small box... 

  
...and handed it to Castalia.

  
She brightened. "No way, you got me something too? I guess great minds think alike!"

  
His eyes lightened with amusement, but he said nothing as she opened it up. When she did, her own widened in surprise.

  
"This is..."

  
"I picked it up not too long ago while getting rid of some monsters," he explained. "It should prove useful."

  
"I've only ever heard about these," she said with a sort of quiet awe. "Vincent, are you sure-?"

  
"It's yours," he said, his tone making it clear he wouldn't accept a refusal.

  
She must have known that too since she gave no further protest. Instead, she looked up at him in gratitude. "Thanks."

  
"Happy birthday, Castalia."

  
"Well, _technically_ , my birthday was yesterday," she said with a playful laugh. "But today's fine too."

  
She turned back around with a wide smile, and he finally got a clear look at what it was that she'd been given.

  
"Look, Cloud! Isn't it awesome?"

  
A protect ring.

  
"The cost of crafting accessories with preset spells is expensive- more than Cole can afford even with the extra funding he gets from the war -so a ring like this is _super_ special!"

  
It was more than that, he thought as she happily explained what the ring did while slipping it onto her middle finger. It also spoke of a certain level of care on Vincent's part. With how close they seemed to be (which was _very_ close, what with how his old friend didn't look uncomfortable with the sudden hug Castalia gave him), he doubted that Vincent was unaware of what had happened to her a few months back. By giving her that, he was trying to keep her safe.

  
When he left the manor with Castalia a few hours later, it was with heavy thoughts.

  
"Make sure you don't try to visit him on your own, okay? Vincent's done a good job at getting rid of the monsters in and around the manor, but a few things creep back once in a while."

  
He...honestly didn't know how to proceed from here. It was clear that Vincent and Castalia were close, but...was it close enough that Vincent would reveal anything he told him- or _worse_ , try to include her in any plans? If it had been the old Vincent, the answer would have been no. 

  
"Vincent's great with a gun, you know! Maybe the next time you come with me, you'll be able to see how good he is."

  
...but there was no telling with this one.

  
It _looked_ like the gunman wanted to protect her, but it also looked like he had no reservations about bringing her into situations where she would be able to see him in action. He just didn't know enough about him or the relationship he had with Castalia to be sure. 

  
As much as he didn't like it, the best thing to do right now was wait.

  
He would keep accompanying Castalia to the manor and observe them. Depending on what he figured out, he would make the decision on whether or not to tell Vincent. It would be more than a little disappointing if he couldn't, but he would work through it if that ended up being the case. After all, it was one thing to bring an experienced fighter with a grudge against ShinRa into a situation that could end with a life or death battle, but it was a _completely_ different one to bring his sister into that nightmare.

  
He would sooner be friendly with Hojo.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
This was it. She had been working hard to be able to do this. She had to prove that she was worthy of this apprenticeship.

  
"Relax, Helena," Cassie laughed. "No need to be so tense."

  
She had her shoulders up to her ears again.

  
"I just don't wanna mess up," she admitted, forcing herself to loosen up. 

  
"Odds are you will at some point," Castalia pointed out, though the comment was softened with a smile. "That just comes with the territory. But, I'll make sure you don't mess up the ways I did."

  
That actually was kind of reassuring.

  
"Okay, with healing potions, slow and steady is best. You want to make sure the mixture stays at a consistent temperature, stir at an even pace, and give each ingredient time to settle before adding the next. You got everything ready?"

  
"I-I think so!"

  
"Cure materia equipped?"

  
"Yes? I wanted to ask about that, actually. The book didn't say anything about needing materia..."

  
"Ah, right. You usually don't. In fact, you're probably not going to find it written anywhere- it's one of my own little modifications to the process." 

  
"Wha-? _Really_?"

  
"Yeah. Basically, instead of focusing your base magic on the potion, you're going to be focusing a cure spell. It'll tire you out more, but it gives the potion a boost."

  
When she said _that_ , it made sense, but...

  
"You're wondering why no one's ever thought to do this, aren't you." At her nod, she shrugged. "I couldn't say. The potion does work without the extra bits, so maybe they were content to leave it as it was."

  
"So why did _you_ change it?"

  
For the first time since Castalia had agreed to teach her, the older girl looked a bit uncomfortable, but it was gone the next moment. 

  
"I've been...messing around with different healing items, trying to see what effects they have on each other. I just kinda stumbled upon this, to be honest."

  
"That's still pretty cool."

  
Castalia laughed and sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "You think?"

  
"Yeah! Is that why there's flowers here too?"

  
"Marigolds, and yes. I remember reading somewhere that they had medicinal properties, so I asked Doctor Beckman about it, and he was able to get some for me. Then it was just a matter of trial and error to see if they could contribute to the potion at all. Adding them does help a little, but mostly it just improves the taste."

  
She smiled mischievously. "The taste. Of course."

  
"And what's that supposed to mean?"

  
"If there's one thing I've learned since you started teaching me, it's that taste is a big thing to you."

  
"Hey," she pouted lightly. "If I'm going to constantly be testing these things by drinking or eating them, I'd at least like to _enjoy_ it. If anything, _that's_ what _I'm_ surprised no one's tried to do yet."

  
"The stuff I had before wasn't that bad..."

  
"That's because they were already my version. Talk to me again after you've been forced to do take Remedies for five hours straight while synthesizing other items. They're also on my list for improvement, by the way."

  
"Wait, I thought they were supposed to be mostly tasteless."

  
"Bitter is still not a nice flavor, no matter how mild. I suppose it wouldn't matter to most people. They're not usually in a position or situation that would have them popping the things into their mouths like candy, so they can handle the occasional bitterness. They won't _like_ it, but they'll deal with it for the sake of their health. I, and eventually you, do not have that luxury, and will probably hate it for the rest of our lives...Besides, you take enough of them, and you start to get an aftertaste similar to that of sour milk."

  
...Ew.

  
"I'll...take your word for it."

  
"That's what I thought. Now, let's get started."

  
To her relief, everything seemed to go smoothly. Castalia walked her through each step while also pointing out things she should avoid by mentioning some of her own experiences. It kept her from getting too nervous and helped to distract her from the fatigue that she could feel slowly settling in. 

  
"What the-? Where in the world did you get _that_?!"

  
Helena yelped as Cole suddenly appeared next to Cassie and slammed his hands on the table, then had to step back from the bubbling mixture in front of her as her racing heart settled.

  
"Hey!" Castalia snapped at him, quickly taking over the stirring. "You know how delicate item synthesis is! What's gotten into you?!"

  
"That ring of yours, that's what! Where did it come from?!"

  
Ring? Oh, now that he mentioned it, her mentor _was_ wearing a ring. It was kinda plain looking, though the green gem in the middle was pretty. 

  
Castalia slapped his hand away with a warning glare as he reached for it. "It was a present. That means no touching."

  
"A _present_? With how much these go for, who the hell-?!" he stopped, then scowled. "It was that ShinRa guy wasn't it. Twisty? Knew he was a sleazy little-"

  
" _What_?!" she choked. "No, it wasn't Reeve! What the hell, Cole?!"

  
And could she just say how impressive it was that she managed to keep stirring steadily despite that?

  
He threw his arms into the air. "Who else could it be? What, you expect me to believe someone here just found it, thought it looked nice, and _gave_ it to ya?!"

  
"As a matter of fact, yes!"

  
She could believe that. Cassie didn't really seem interested in any of the boys in town- although she _had_ been hanging out with Travis lately, but she got the feeling they were more friends than anything. She remembered that a lot of the older women would complain about it before ShinRa came, but after the attack of those monsters, they didn't really say anything anymore. Castalia never mentioned it either, so it made more sense for her to receive something as a random gift than a courting one.

  
Cole didn't seem to agree, though.

  
She shrunk back a bit when he actually seemed to get _angrier_ at Cassie's response.

  
"Who gave it to you, Castalia?" he growled. "Was it that flunkie o' his- the one with the creepy eyes? Didn't think those meatheads got paid that much but-"

  
"It wasn't Ryuu either! Seriously, I just agreed that it was from someone here! Why do you keep saying it was someone from ShinRa?!" 

  
"Because it would be just like those scumbags to do it! And you don't seem to see how dangerous they are!"

  
Her eyes narrowed. "I know _exactly_ how dangerous they are."

  
"Coulda fooled me," he shot back. "Even when they were leavin' you were all friendly with them. Tell me the truth. What did they promise to give ya if you joined them?"

  
Cassie _froze_ , and it was only because of where she was sitting that she saw the hurt flash in her eyes. 

  
Hurt that was quickly replaced by anger.

  
" _Nothing_ ," she hissed, her whole body stiff as she stopped and bent down to grab her bag (leaving her scrambling a bit to take over). "They promised _nothing_ because this. Wasn't. From. _Them_. And I can't _believe_ you even _thought_ I'd accept something as empty and superficial as a _bribe_."

  
Cole finally seemed to notice that he'd messed up, since his eyes had widened. "Wait, Cassie, that's not what I meant-"

  
"Coulda fooled me," she snarled.

  
They both winced as she slammed the door behind her, a heavy pause settling between them before she gathered up the nerve to speak.

  
"Mr. Falkov?"

  
He sighed, then turned to face her. "Keep doin' what yer doin', Helena. I'll tell ya if somethin's wrong. It's the least I can do after all that."

  
She nodded and went back to her potion, but the cheerful air she and Castalia had been sharing was gone. She cast a furtive glance towards the shopkeeper as she worked, and noticed he seemed to sag in his chair, a frown on his face.

  
"I've...never seen you argue like that with Castalia," she began hesitantly. 

  
"That's 'cause it's never actually _happened_ before," he admitted tiredly. "Suppose we were overdue for one...Don't stir it so quickly. Slowly."

  
She adjusted her speed, then continued after another brief silence. "I didn't know you knew how to make potions."

  
"How do you think Cassie learned? Books? Sure, they can teach ya the theory, but no book can beat experience. I knew enough to get her started, and kept an eye on her until she knew more than I did...then even pushed the boundaries on that," he finished while he looked at the flower parts on the table. "Did she say what those were for?"

  
"Mostly to help with the taste."

  
"Heh," he smirked slightly before shaking his head. "That girl..."

  
"Sir?"

  
"I don't know when you're supposed to add those, so you're going to have to settle for a regular ol' potion this time. I'm sure Cassie will go over it when you meet up tomorrow."

  
"Are you sure she'll be here?"

  
"Course I am," he assured her. "She won't leave you hangin' just 'cause she's mad at me. Besides, she was never the type who could stay upset for long. She just needs-"

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"-some time to cool off," I finished explaining to Vincent with a sigh, plopping down on the couch in the manor.

  
He remained quiet for a moment afterward, and even though what he said next wasn't _exactly_ what I wanted to hear, thinking back, I wouldn't be able to help the slight smile it caused because he felt comfortable enough in our friendship to say it.

  
"You overreacted."

  
At the time, however, I just groaned and pressed down on my face with my hands. "I _know_. I know Cole has no idea of just how aware I am of ShinRa's dangers. He was just reacting based on what _he_ knows and was trying to look out for me, in his own way. I just-... Have you ever had those days when your temper just seems to go off at the slightest provocation? Even if you know it shouldn't? I know it's not an excuse, but..."

  
"I understand. I experienced quite a few of those days while working under Hojo."

  
"I bet," I muttered. I sighed one last time and sat up, nervously running a hand through my hair before looking at him. "I'll apologize to him later, but there's something I've been thinking a lot about lately...and what happened today seemed to be the final push I needed to make a decision."

  
"What is it?"

  
"As soon as this apprenticeship is over and Helena gets her alchemist's license...I'm leaving Nibelheim."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~ 1 month later**

  
"Damn it, shoulda been here by now..."

  
At Cole's grumbled complaint, I looked up from where Helena was preparing the ingredients for an ether. 

  
The day after I'd spoken to Vincent, I had made sure to apologize to him, though I had to admit I'd been surprised to receive one back. I hadn't been expecting him to, seeing as I'd been the one to go off on him, and told him as much only to have him roll his eyes and call me stupid.

  
Situation sufficiently smoothed over, things went on as normal.

  
"What is it?"

  
"An order for a special material I sent to Kalm hasn't come in yet, and every time I've tried callin'm, I can't get through- line's disconnected."

  
"Who'd you order from?"

  
"Frank and his guys."

  
I frowned. "That's weird. You've never had trouble with them before."

  
"Yeah, well, that was then," he scoffed, though I could see he was just as uneasy about it as I was. "I swear, those idiots better not have snuffed it, or I'll find a way to bring'm back so I can kill'm all over again."

  
They _did_ go out of town a lot, so it was a valid possibility, but still. "It has been a while since the last time you've ordered anything from them. Maybe they changed their number? Is there someone you can call to check?"

  
"Never needed to before, so I don't have any number but theirs. I'll see if Lockhart knows anyone in the area, though. In the meantime, I'll just have to get the part from somewhere else."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~5 months later**

  
Castalia was up to something.

  
Cloud watched as she pulled their da aside during Tifa's birthday party, feeling them narrow as whatever she told him made the man stiffen in shock. It took Matt a few moments to collect himself, but once he did, the two of them walked off, their faces making it clear that the ensuing conversation would be a serious one.

  
Damn it, he couldn't even follow them.

  
As Tifa's proclaimed best friend, he had almost the same amount of attention placed on him during the festivities as she did. There was no way he'd be able to sneak away long enough to eavesdrop, and the last thing he wanted to do was call attention to their absence. Everyone else who might have been concerned at their sudden departure was equally distracted.

  
She'd timed this well. 

  
He'd done his best to stick with her as much as he could whenever she went to go visit Vincent these past few months, playing it off as a need to make sure she was safe (which wasn't a _lie_ , but not the whole truth either). During that time, he had gotten a feel for what the friendship between them was like, and came to the conclusion that there was no feasible way to get Vincent on board with his plans without dragging her into them as well. They were too close, and apart from that, it turned out that Vincent had indeed been teaching Castalia a few things throughout the years.

  
He still wasn't sure how to feel about that.

  
On one hand, Vincent was experienced- one of the strongest people he knew. If Castalia _had_ to learn how to fight, he was glad it was him instructing her, since he couldn't really do it himself. On the other hand...if she was good enough- and she _would_ be considering who was teaching her -if he gave even the slightest hint of what was to come, she would get caught up in it.

  
He didn't want her anywhere _near_ the ShinRa Corporation in its current state. Just the _thought_ of it sent chills down his spine, and he was certain that if he told Vincent, he would tell Castalia. Then if he told her, she would want to help- it was just in her nature, especially if it concerned her family. _Then_ she would try to convince them to let her join, and odds were Vincent would agree. On the small chance he refused, Cloud knew Castalia would follow on her own, which was even _worse_. So basically, if he wanted to keep Castalia safe, he had to give up on the idea of telling Vincent. 

  
For now.

  
He was sure he'd eventually find a way to do it without dragging Castalia into danger, but he probably wouldn't get the chance for a couple of years. Hopefully, it would be before he left for Midgar. If he couldn't, he would just have to do his best and try to make it so that Vincent's assistance wasn't needed at all, because, despite everything...

  
They really were good friends, and he didn't want to ruin that.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~2 months later**

  
This...was an obstacle to my departure that I'd sort of expected, but had tried to ignore.

  
Until today.

  
"Ma! Ma!"

  
"Da!"

  
I smiled slightly as Cirrus and Rinan happily moved their arms up and down in their high chairs, giggling in the light, infectious way only babies could. Ma and Da were practically melting on the spot as the twins continued to chant their (currently) favorite words.

  
They were a year old today. 

  
It was kind of crazy to think that an entire year had already gone by since ShinRa came to Nibelheim. It felt like it had gone by in a flash. During that time, I'd been focusing a lot of time on the apprenticeship, and then planning my approaching departure at night with Vincent since Cloud usually tagged along when I went to visit him during the day. I still hadn't told him that I was leaving, even though I'd finally told Ma last week (there...were a lot of tears involved), but I knew I had to do it soon.

  
Helena was in Rocket Town taking her exam today.

  
She had defied even my expectations, showing an admirable amount of drive and focus, though she tended to credit a lot of it to me. Regardless, the end result was that she was taking her exam only after a little under a year of study. It's true that it was a subject-specific, one-on-one study, which I knew better than anyone you _could_ learn quickly with, but it was still very impressive.

  
She was going to go far.

  
It also meant that, if she passed (which I was sure she would), I would probably be leaving by the week's end. The thought was simultaneously exciting and terrifying. For the first time in _both_ my lives, I would be going out into the unknown- to travel a world that I only knew from textbooks and media. Sure, Vincent had all but said he was coming with me, but it was still nervewracking- especially once you took the monsters we might face into account. 

  
There wasn't anything more I could do here, though.

  
I'd pushed the research into my Phoenix Down + project (name pending) as far as it could go. If I wanted to have any chance of having it ready in time- of being able to help Cloud when the time came -I couldn't afford to stay. I just...hadn't wanted to think about how hard it would be.

  
I'd been in Nibelheim for almost twelve years. I'd gained a family to take the place of the one I'd lost. Friends...Teachers...Memories and experiences. 

  
It was... _home_.

  
My heart gave a sudden, painful throb at the thought of leaving it behind. 

  
It wouldn't be forever. I didn't think I could ever do that. But...I wouldn't be working in the shop anymore. I wouldn't see the same people I'd spent years with- struggled with and cried with and mourned with -for a long time. I wouldn't go sleep in my bed at the end of the day, comforted by the knowledge that my family was only a short walk away.

  
Then, there was Cloud.

  
My little brother. My Chicky. The one I'd messed around with, and teased, and spent many nights just hanging out and laughing with. The one I'd watched grow from a little baby into the confident, protective, kind, and selfless boy I knew now. The one I'd doted on and loved almost from the moment I'd met him. 

  
The one I cherished and wanted to protect more than anything.

  
I loved Ma, Da, Tifa, Cirrus, and Rinan. But Cloud...Cloud was the one who would suffer the most if I didn't do anything to change the future. He was the one who would sacrifice almost all of himself in order to save the world. He would be bent and twisted and crushed until he broke, and his smile would fade.

  
I couldn't let that happen. I _couldn't_. 

  
I took a deep breath and met Da's gaze from across the table. Sadness flashed in his eyes for a moment, but he nodded his head just the slightest bit. 

  
It was time to go.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
"Cloud...there's something I need to tell you."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~(Prelude) End**

  
**FF.Net Closing Notes:**

I was listening to Hollow, the ending song for the remake, a lot during this chapter. 

  
It's pretty Cloud and Castalia POV heavy, but that's because Cloud finally met with Vincent, it flowed the best and because, as you saw at the end, they're not going to be interacting with each other for a while. There'll be one last scene in Nibelheim at the beginning of the next chapter as Castalia says her goodbyes (and one more moment with Cole because come on, you didn't think I'd leave it like that, right?), and then we'll be off. More of Vincent's thoughts during this time will be in the chapters to come. 

  
Helena is 13, a bit above average in height, slim, has pale skin, rust-colored hair, and gray eyes.

  
Travis is 15, average height, is kind of all elbows and knees at the moment, has pale skin (honestly, pretty much everyone in Nibelheim has pale skin), black hair, and brown eyes.

  
I'm not sure what many of you were expecting the meeting with Cloud and Vincent would be like, but I hope I pulled it off in a way that both made sense and was satisfying. I did try to put in a bit of humor at the beginning, but it quickly turned into a more introspective thing. Cloud can be a bit reckless at times, but he knows when to be cautious too. Vincent, as he is now, would have been too different for Cloud to immediately make the decision to reveal everything. He wanted to observe the new Vincent first before doing that. Then, once he saw how close Vincent was to Castalia, he hesitated.

  
They really do care a lot about each other, too bad it was kind of to their disadvantage here.

  
I can't really think of what else to say about this chapter (other than the fact that I've finally finished an arc. Jeez, I can't believe it. This is actually a moment for my personal history books), so I'm going to end it here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	13. Act 1, Scene 1: On Our Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castalia finally sets off from Nibelheim, and the journey begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've got a poll going over on FF.Net about which pairing with Castalia is the most popular amongst the readers. It's really more for my own curiosity and will have no say in the final pairing, but it might mean I'll add a few shipping moments in the fic for the more popular ones. Anyway, when I first posted it over there, Reno and Vincent were tied for first, Sephiroth was second, Zack third, Angeal and Genesis fourth, Ryuu and Reeve fifth, and Cloud and Tifa were tied for sixth. It's been a little over a week since then, and the results have actually changed a bit, so I thought I'd share the current standings (as of 1/23/21) with all of you. So, here they are:
> 
> 1st: Vincent
> 
> 2nd: Reno
> 
> 3rd: Sephiroth
> 
> 4th: Zack
> 
> 5th: Cloud
> 
> 6th: Angeal and Genesis
> 
> 7th: Reeve, Ryuu, and Tifa
> 
> These standings don't reflect the true statistics (the whole reason I started the poll was because I was starting to lose track on my personal tally), but it's still interesting to see. Names will be added as the story continues (because I'm sure another ship is going to set sail at some point). Even if one is no longer an option (like Reeve), or just not going to happen (sorry, but not really Cloud/Castalia shippers), they will remain on the list because I want to be fair.
> 
> So...yeah.
> 
> Moving on, we are now at the beginning of a new segment in Castalia's life. After [almost] twelve years, she will be leaving Nibelheim and venturing into the unknown. What awaits her in the vast, open world- free of the limitations of game boundaries and scripts? Something dangerous? Something fantastic? Or maybe...nothing at all. Who knows?
> 
> With that, I will leave you to it. Please read on, and I hope you enjoy.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**On Our Way**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
_"Cloud...there's something I need to tell you."_

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**~Tuesday, July 28th, [ μ ] - εуλ 1999~**

  
He couldn't be hearing right.

  
"Cloud?"

  
"What did you say?"

  
Castalia winced, looking guilty- which didn't make sense because there was no way she had just said-

  
"I'm...leaving Nibelheim at the end of the week."

  
Shock and disbelief andpanicand _fear_ -

  
He pushed it all to the side and stared her down. "No."

  
She blinked. "What?"

  
"You're not leaving."

  
Not to where he couldn't keep an eye on her. Not to where she could unwittingly stumble into ShinRa's clutches without the buffer of home and family to help protect her. Not to mention all of the _other_ dangers out there. Zolems and tonberries and- _shit_ , the first AVALANCHE was still a thing around this time, wasn't it?

  
"Cloud, I know it seems sudden-"

  
"You're damn right it's sudden!" he snapped, a bit of his calm slipping as he thought more and more of what she could run into out there. " _Four days_ , Cass? _Really_?!"

  
Although Ma _had_ seemed upset about something for about a week now but had brushed it off when he'd asked, and Da-

  
"Tifa's party," he said in realization, then felt his gaze narrow. "You've been thinking about leaving for _months_! And you tell me _now_?!"

  
"I didn't want to hurt you!"

  
He faltered at the tears in her eyes, and when she continued, her voice was soft- imploring.

  
"Cloud...you're my _little brother_. Do you know how important you are to me? I-... You're the _last_ person I would ever want to hurt, but I knew this wasn't going to be easy to accept, so I just kept pushing it off a-and...I'm sorry."

  
"Then stay."

  
She would be safe here because he was going to make sure Nibelheim never burned. She would get to live a long, happy life with Ma, Da, and the twins without ever experiencing the kind of hardship he once had. Deep down, though...Deep down, he knew a life here just wasn't for her.

  
That didn't mean he wanted her to leave, much less when he still wasn't strong enough to protect her.

  
_Castalia screamed as she fell to her knees, the bloody talons of a sonic speed glistening red with her blood-_

  
_-replaced by the sight of her on a cold, metal table, that same scream echoing hauntingly as a shadowed figure hovered above her, glasses flashing menacingly in the light._

  
He ripped himself out of the mental image, his heart racing, and his body cold. 

  
" _Stay_ ," he heard himself ask again. "Castalia, _please_. Don't go."

  
"I-... I _can't_."

  
His eyes were burning as he closed them. "Fine."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**Sunday, August 1st, [ μ ] - εуλ 1999**

  
It was...kind of strange.

  
"And you're _absolutely_ sure about this, Cassie?"

  
I smiled sadly at the worried tone. "Yeah. I'm sure, Ma."

  
Despite the clear passage of time, the minutes and days and years I'd spent in Nibelheim had always had a sort of...endless quality to them. So much so that, now that I was moving on, it almost didn't feel real. That was normal, though...right?

  
" _Really_ sure?"

  
"Skye," Da sighed, bringing me out of my thoughts as he wrapped an arm around her. "We both knew this was coming. Even if she _hadn't_ told us, Cassie's shown signs of wanting to leave for a while now."

  
Wait. "I have?"

  
He smiled. "I'll admit, you did take me by surprise when you told me, but once I had time to think about it, the signs were pretty clear. I remember what it was like. That curiosity and wonder about the world- knowing that there's nothing more you can learn where you are."

  
It was a bit more than that, but he'd pretty much hit the nail on the head otherwise. Only...that meant-

  
Something must have shown on my face since he chuckled. "I don't blame anyone for not continuing on my own journey all those years ago, much less you. In fact, I'm positive that finding you _was_ my journey- I just didn't know it at the time."

  
"Why are most of the guys I've met so fond of cheesy lines?" I asked, the exasperated tone of my voice betrayed by the fond grin tugging at my lips. "Cloud, make sure you don't follow his example, okay?"

  
"..."

  
The smile I'd been keeping up faltered at his silence, made even worse by the fact that he wasn't looking at me.

  
Just as he'd been doing ever since I'd told him I couldn't stay.

  
Da frowned. "Cloud-"

  
"Cassie!"

  
I was almost knocked over when Helena tackled me in a hug and buried her face into my shirt. "D'you _really_ have to go? I _just_ got my license! What if I forget something?! O-Or mess it up, or-"

  
"Helena," I sighed, not sure if I was glad or upset at the interruption, but I also knew if I let her go on like this, she would work herself into a panic. "You wouldn't have passed if you didn't have the knowledge and skill you needed. You'll be fine- definitely in a much better place than I was when I first got my license, that's for sure. Besides, Cole wouldn't let anything happen to you."

  
"Kept this one from blowing herself up at least five different times," the man in question, who had arrived shortly after her, agreed with a snort of laughter and a nod at me. "Charged her for it, too. Keep that in mind if you ever get the idea to experiment."

  
Liar. He hadn't charged a single gil.

  
Who was I to interfere with his fun, though? Instead, we just shared a look of amusement over her head as she frantically assured him that she would never, ever even think about experimenting.

  
We both knew that was a lie too. She had seemed far too interested in my modifications while she'd been apprenticed to me.

  
"Okay then! I wish you luck, Master Cass!"

  
I felt my face heat up, still not used to the (now legitimate) title, and the sensation only worsened when Cole started snickering. 

  
"Thanks, Helena. Good luck at the shop. The war's not over yet, so you're gonna have your hands full, but don't overwork yourself and don't give ShinRa any leeway. We're the closest town to Wutai with an alchemist- any threat you get from them about taking their business elsewhere if you don't complete an order in a certain timeframe is just a bluff. They aren't going to do that if it means spending more money to have them shipped from somewhere further away."

  
"Oh, you don't have to worry about _that_ ," Helena grumbled darkly. "There's no way I'd give _them_ any leeway."

  
That, I was sure, wasn't a lie.

  
Cole patted her on the shoulder and pulled her back enough so that she wasn't between us anymore. "Soon as this war's over with, we'll probably go the Canyon's route and declare ourselves neutral territory. Doubt anyone here wants anything more t'do with ShinRa."

  
"I'm...not sure they'll be so agreeable to that," I told him, absently biting my lip as I thought it over. "Not with the mansion and the reactor here. Both of those seemed like they were still pretty important to them when they came."

  
As long as Jenova was in the reactor, I was pretty sure ShinRa was going to fight tooth and nail on keeping it there. Not to mention if, by some miracle, they _did_ agree, they'd probably want to clear out the mansion. Hojo would most _definitely_ come for that, and if he discovered Vincent was _gone_ -

  
Well, that wouldn't be good for anyone.

  
"We'll figure it out. We'll need to get rid of the reactor if we want Lockhart's ideas to work, but I suppose they can keep the mansion so long as they leave the town alone. It's far enough away from here that we can ignore them, and it's not like anyone bothers with it anyway."

  
It was only thanks to the various control exercises that Vincent had drilled into me over the years that I did not fidget at that. Or at the heavy stare I could feel on me that I just _knew_ was Cloud's.

  
Sure, _now_ he felt the need to look at me...but at least his silence seemed to have included my visits there.

  
"Right. Either way, be careful."

  
"Please," he scoffed. "What do you take me for? Some reckless kid?"

  
"That depends on the day."

  
"Punk."

  
"Geezer."

  
We stared at each other a moment longer before a smile broke onto my face. "I'm gonna miss this."

  
"Then make sure you come back once in a while."

  
"I will."

  
"And take this."

  
He handed me a small, dark brown pouch connected to a belt. It was made of leather that felt soft and pliable in my hands- almost like a well-worn sweater -so it was probably something previously owned. I must have been staring at in confusion though, since he sighed after a moment.

  
"It's one of my old traveling packs," he explained. "Might not look like much, but it can carry its fair share."

  
Now curious, I opened up the pouch, stuck my hand in, and then felt my eyes widen as I managed to fit my whole arm instead.

  
This was a freakin' _hammerspace bag_. What the hell?! He had no idea how huge a deal what he had just given me was! _None_!

  
"Odds are you'll get one from the guild once you make your way to their headquarters in Midgar," Cole went on, oblivious to my inner squeals of excitement and joy as I swung my arm around inside the pouch. "Who knows how much they've improved since I was there, but it never hurts to have an extra." 

  
"I didn't even know these kinds of bags _existed_ ," I admitted, finally (but reluctantly) pulling my arm out.

  
Yeah, it was true that you could carry a lot of stuff in the games, but I'd always chalked it up to mechanics.

  
I had never been so happy to be wrong.

  
"They're not common. Usually, you'll only see master craftsman or the upper echelons of the military carrying them- though some bastards'll get them just to be able to say they own one."

  
"Ridiculously expensive. Got it."

  
He snorted. "Right. So don't lose it."

  
I was quick to fasten it around my waist, looking at him when I was done. "Thanks, Cole...for everything."

  
It was really because of him that I was here now. Cole had been the one to approach Da all those years ago, requesting that I learn item synthesis. If I hadn't...I honestly didn't know what I would be doing instead. But he did, and because of that, I had a purpose. I had a goal. I had the knowledge and skills that might spare the people I loved from going through that terrible series of events.

  
I owed him more than words could ever express.

  
He must have caught on to some of those unspoken words, however, since his gaze softened just the slightest bit. "Don't mention it."

  
I nodded, trying to ignore the slight ache in my throat as I turned to face my family one more time. "I-... I guess I'm off, then."

  
Ma handed Cirrus over to Da before bringing me into a tight embrace. "Take care of yourself, Cassie. Don't forget to call us once in a while, okay? Or send a letter if you can't do that."

  
"Okay."

  
I heard her sniffle before she stepped back, taking the twins from Da so that he could have his turn. Da's hug was tighter, but I relished the feeling of comfort and support I'd come to associate with it. 

  
"I'm gonna miss you, Sweetpea...but I know as well as anyone that this is something you have to do. Just don't be afraid to visit if it gets to be too much. No matter what, we're here for you."

  
"I will. Thanks, Da."

  
He stepped back, and I took a moment to hug and kiss the twins, my heart feeling heavy at the thought that I wouldn't get to see them grow up the same way I had with Cloud. 

  
"Cirrus, Rinan, you two keep being good for Ma and Da, okay? Big Sis is gonna be gone for a while, so I'm counting on you to cheer them up."

  
Cirrus blinked sleepily before snuggling deeper into Ma's arms, but Rinan smiled and waved a pudgy hand in my direction.

  
"Iiya! Iiya!"

  
I laughed, even as I felt the heaviness grow. "That's right, 'Nan. Can't let Big Sis Iiya go without a proper goodbye. Thank you."

  
I looked around, feeling almost nostalgic as I noticed Tifa hovering at the edge of the crowd, much like she had the day she'd asked me to come with her to ask Master Zangan if he could teach her. Only this time, she seemed intent to stare at the ground.

  
"Tifa."

  
She gave a start but didn't look up. I sighed, then walked over and gave her a hug of my own. 

  
"I may be leaving town," I began, quietly enough so that only she would hear, "but that doesn't mean I've forgotten, or will forget, my promise. I will always, _always_ be there for you, Tifa. If you ever need me to come home, all you'll have to do is say the word, and I'll drop everything and come running."

  
"...Really?"

  
"Really. Just promise me you'll help keep an eye on Ma, Da, and the twins while I'm gone."

  
She stepped out of my hold, her expression brighter than before. "Of course I will!"

  
I grinned. "I knew I could count on you. Take care, Tifa."

  
After one more hug, I turned to the last member of my second family.

  
Like Tifa, Cloud was also looking at the ground, his arms crossed and his brows furrowed as he frowned. I let out a slow breath and walked over, stopping only when I was about an arm's length away.

  
"Cloud-"

  
"Why won't you _listen_ to me?" he interrupted softly, his voice pained. "You always listened before."

  
"I _do_ listen," I said with a shake of my head. "And I will _always_ listen to what you have to say, but Cloud...that doesn't mean I'll always do what you want me to."

  
His eyes clenched shut, but he didn't push me away when I gently placed a hand on his shoulder. 

  
"I can't stay here forever. I know it's hard to understand right now, but...maybe in a few years-" I cut myself off, then sighed. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, and I'm sorry that this is hurting you so much...but I _am_ leaving. And-" I cleared my throat when my voice broke, but I knew keeping it level was all but an exercise in futility at this point. "...a-and I would really like it if I left knowing there wasn't a chance of my little brother hating me for it."

  
"...Stupid."

  
The next thing I knew, Cloud had his arms wrapped tightly around me.

  
"As if I could ever hate you..."

  
If my laugh was more than a little watery, well, that was perfectly understandable, wasn't it?

  
"Please, _please_ take care of yourself," he murmured against me, the distressed tone in his voice making me freeze in place. "Please, Cass. I-... I don't want to lose you."

  
Suddenly, everything made sense.

  
I tightened my hold on him even as I felt my eyes start to tear up. "Oh, Cloud..."

  
It wasn't that Cloud didn't want me to leave...he was just afraid I might get hurt like I had during the attack on Nibelheim. Or worse.

  
"You won't lose me," I assured him. "It's not like I'll be purposefully looking for monsters, and if I do run into one, I should still be okay."

  
Mostly because I was sure that- bar a Zolem or a Tonberry -there wasn't anything out there that stood a chance against Vincent, and we wouldn't be stupid enough to hang around anything that did. Though, seeing as I wasn't sure if Cloud even _knew_ he was coming with me- and unable to tell him on the off chance someone in the crowd heard -I supposed his concern over my safety did have some merit to it.

  
"I'll be fine. I promise. I'll even promise to come visit on the twins' birthday next year, just to tease you for worrying so much."

  
He huffed out a laugh, and the heavy feeling finally lightened a bit. 

  
"I'll hold you to that."

  
When I stepped back, I pointedly ignored his red-rimmed eyes and ruffled his hair with a soft smile. "I love you, Chicky."

  
He seemed to take a steadying breath, then smiled back. "Love you too."

  
It was much, much harder than I'd thought it would be to turn away and start walking down the path I knew would lead me out of Nibelheim, especially since one last, completely unexpected obstacle now stood in front of me.

  
Each excited bark felt like a bullet to the heart.

  
Lilo- the last link I had to the life I'd left behind. She had been with me since I'd been a teenager in my first life- just a bit older than I was now, in fact. I had raised her twice over, and a person couldn't _do_ something like that even once without forming a deep connection. The realization that I would be leaving that behind as well made my heart feel like it was tearing in two.

  
Funny how _this_ was what finally brought me close to the breaking point.

  
"Lilo, it-...it's not a walk this time."

  
She paused, no doubt hearing the heartache in my voice, and tilted her head (she'd always been so, so clever...). 

  
"You need to stay, okay? Stay."

  
She whined, clearly confused at the command, and I couldn't blame her. Since Minerva had sent her to me, we had gone for a walk every morning when the weather allowed it. It had been our little routine- just a time for two reborn souls to find companionship in one another -and now here I was, about to leave her behind.

  
Doing this was probably one of the most painful things I'd ever done.

  
"Let's go together," Cloud murmured as he stepped up beside me. "At least for a bit longer. I'll take over once we reach the fork in the road."

  
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

  
The walk was quiet, and whenever she was next to me, I found myself reaching down to pet her, smiling sadly when her tail wagged in response. Maybe it was a bit silly to feel so emotional over this, knowing that I wouldn't be gone forever, but...

  
I also knew that it wasn't ever going to be the same, either.

  
From now on, every time I came home, I would leave soon enough. Each time, I would have to leave her behind because the world just wasn't safe for a normal dog outside of any village, town, or city. If I were moving somewhere else to settle down, it would be a different matter, but I wasn't- and probably wouldn't until Jenova was gone. It could very easily be years before that happened.

  
She was seven. How old would she be then?

  
We reached the fork all too soon, where one path would keep going down the mountain, and the other would eventually lead back into town. We stopped, a brief silence falling over us until I sighed and crouched down, wrapping my arms around her.

  
"You be a good girl, okay? Listen to Ma and Da, and keep Cloud company. Watch over Cirrus and Rinan and keep the village boys away from Tifa- I know Cloud's been teaching you things. I-... I'm gonna miss you, my little pupperrito."

  
I stood, rubbing my eyes and sniffling, but laughing a bit when I noticed Cloud's raised brow.

  
"Pupperrito?"

  
"It's an inside joke."

  
"I didn't realize you could have those with dogs."

  
"Nothing says you _can't_."

  
He stared a moment, then let out a breath of laughter. "Only you."

  
I smiled, then brought him into one last hug, trying my best to commit the feeling of it to memory. I pulled away a minute later, taking a few steps onto the forward path before looking back. Cloud stood there, smiling slightly as he kept a hand on Lilo's collar. Unbidden, I thought back to those same blue eyes, looking up at me from a pudgy baby face eleven years ago and felt the tears well up all over again. 

  
My days in Nibelheim had felt endless, but it was right now, at this moment, that it seemed like they had gone by much too fast.

  
Suddenly, there were so many things I wanted to say- to _do_ -with the family I'd come to love just as fiercely as my first. That was why I _had_ to go, though. Vincent and I were the only ones who knew what was coming- the only ones who had a chance of doing anything about it -and we couldn't do anything more from here. Starting now, we would be working toward that goal, which meant that I couldn't linger any longer.

  
Heh. If only my younger self could hear me now...I'm sure I would have thought I'd gone crazy.

  
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts to the side, and felt my gaze meet Cloud's. "Take care of them."

  
"I will...See you, Cass."

  
"Yeah...See you, Cloud."

  
One step back...

  
Two...

  
Three...

  
Then, I turned and took off running.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Cloud watched Castalia run down the path until she was no longer visible but remained standing at the fork in the road even after she was out of sight. He knew there wasn't much of a chance, but part of him held onto the hope she might change her mind and come back.

  
Ten minutes later, he sighed and turned toward the path that would lead him back to Nibelheim. "Come on, girl. Let's go home."

  
Lilo barked as if in agreement and began trailing after him. He was a bit surprised at that, having expected a bit more resistance, but it made sense once he thought about it. While Castalia and Lilo had a close bond, they didn't spend every waking moment together. There had been times when Castalia would be out all day- Lilo probably thought this was one of those times. He...should probably start planning what he was going to do when it finally hit her that Castalia wasn't going to come back any time soon. 

  
Which was probably going to be some time tonight. 

  
"Honestly," he sighed once more, a wry smile tugging the corner of his lips. "You _would_ leave me with the messy part of your goodbye, wouldn't you?"

  
What an inconsiderate sister he had...

  
He looked up at the sky, doing his best to rid himself of the worry that had started to build up ever since she'd told him she was leaving. 

  
"You'd better come back so that I can get mad at you for it."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Even after I'd stopped running, my heart continued to pound.

  
Each step I was taking was something new- something that was taking me further and further from everything I had ever known here on Gaia. What's more, there were no boundaries. It had been easy to forget I had first known this world as a game once I'd settled down- how could I not, when all I had to compare it to were blocky pixels? So, it hadn't _really_ hit me until I was leaving that there were no set paths or game scripts I had to follow. If I wanted to climb that mountain I saw in the distance or explore Banora or Gongaga to my heart's content, I _could_. 

  
There would be no black screen edges or invisible walls, signaling the end of a map. 

  
No NPCs who would say the same two lines of dialogue. 

  
No random monsters that would pop out of nowhere just because you take a step.

  
...Actually, I wasn't entirely sure about that last one. I had no idea how monsters came into existence, just that they existed. It wasn't something that was covered in school, which kind of felt like an oversight now that I thought about it. Did they _breed_ or...

  
_Anyway_ , I was in entirely uncharted territory, and I wasn't sure if what I was feeling was excitement or terror...Probably terror.

  
Luckily, I wouldn't be going through this alone.

  
"You're late."

  
Vincent was reclining against a tree just a bit off the path- waiting just as he'd said he would a few nights back. 

  
I smiled apologetically as he walked over. "Sorry. Saying goodbye was...harder than I thought it'd be."

  
"It always is."

  
He didn't sound upset, but there was an odd, somewhat distant tone to his voice that made me frown a bit anyway. "You okay?"

  
There was no immediate answer, but years knowing each other had accustomed me to such moments. Whatever it was, Vincent would mention it when he was ready. In the meantime, I busied myself by looking around, trying to see if I could spot some of the local wildlife. Due to that, the trek was quiet- the only sounds being the natural ambiance and the occasional muffled thump our packs made when they hit our backs- but it wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it was easing the anxiousness I was feeling. Periods of silence were pretty normal between us, and it reminded me of the peaceful afternoons at the mansion where we would be reading rather than planning or training. 

  
With how hectic the last couple of years had been, how emotionally taxing saying goodbye had been, and how crazy I knew the future might turn out, this was actually really nice.

  
"At this pace, we should be pretty close to the base of Mt. Nibel before we need to make camp for the night," I mused aloud sometime later.

  
Contrary to what I'd known from _before_ , Nibelheim wasn't located at the base of Mt. Nibel. It was further up- enough so that the road leading to it could be made untraversable during the winter if the storms were bad. It wasn't a life-changing or super significant difference or anything, but it did serve to remind me that I couldn't let myself rely on my prior knowledge- at least, not completely. Gaia was so much more rich and vast than the games of those times could depict, so of course there would be things that were left out or maybe a little different. 

  
But...that did present a bit of a conundrum. 

  
I wasn't sure where I wanted to _go_. Preparing for what was to come was the first and most important priority, but there was still some time before the really severe, if-you-don't-stop- _this_ -then-you've-completely-failed events happened. It wouldn't hurt to spend a _little_ bit of that time seeing some sights, right? Wutai was out because of the war, but that still left many options before traveling to Junon. 

  
Banora was a must, just in case the worst came to pass and we weren't able to prevent its destruction (it wasn't because apple pies had been a favorite of mine in my previous life, nope, not at all). Maybe I could convince some of those orchard owners to part with some dumbapple seeds? I didn't have anything close to a green thumb, so I doubted I could ever grow anything as fickle as a dumbapple tree, but I could always give them to Aerith if I ever met her. Besides that, Cosmo Canyon was definitely going to be a stop, but did I want to visit it before or after Gongaga? I also wanted to revisit Rocket Town since I'd only gotten a brief look when I'd taken my alchemy exam, and there was Costa del Sol too...

  
"Castalia."

  
"Hmm?" Looking over, he seemed to be deep in thought. "What's up, Vincent?"

  
"There's...somewhere I'd like to go..."

  
"Somewhere-... _oh_."

  
Lucrecia's cave.

  
It had been one of the things I had told him about when going over the games' details, but I hadn't had much to offer other than the fact that it was near Nibelheim and _maybe_ near a waterfall? While I had no doubt he'd gone to look for it on some of his trips out of town, I also knew that Vincent had never wandered too far away- especially after ShinRa's visit. Now that we had more free reign, of _course_ he would want to focus on finding it.

  
Well, that made things a lot easier now, didn't it?

  
"You should have spoken up sooner," I told him with a smile. "Here I was stressing out over where to start tomorrow when you already had the answer."

  
"I knew there were some places you wished to see while we had the time."

  
I flapped my hand as if to wave away the statement. "All that can wait. You could have gone looking for Lucrecia any time you wanted, but you chose to stick around Nibelheim instead. I know how important this is to you, so helping you is the least I can do...Sorry about that, by the way. I really should have remembered."

  
"It _has_ been some time since our conversations involved mention of her," he murmured with a slight shake of his head. "It is understandable."

  
"I guess, but as your self-appointed best friend- don't laugh," I told him with a laugh of my own when I saw his head dip a little lower into his collar. "Anyway, it's completely unacceptable. I'll have to make up for forgetting by giving it two-hundred percent tomorrow. Don't worry, Vin. Between the two of us, I'm sure we'll find it."

  
It might take us a while because traveling on an overworld map in a game- where only places of note were accessible -was a far cry from reality, but that was fine. Honestly, with how much Vincent had done for me over the years, I'd be okay with searching until our free time ran out. He deserved this. 

  
"I'll be counting on you then, 'self-appointed best friend,'" he chuckled quietly while briefly ruffling my hair.

  
"See, now you're just mocking me."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
As the evening drew nearer, Vincent noticed a slow shift in Castalia's mood. Before, there had been a smile on her face as they traveled. Now, she looked distracted and even a bit morose. Even when they narrowed down the possible locations for the cave to a few options during a brief rest, her enthusiasm had been notably subdued. 

  
Perhaps some of her earlier sentiment had struck her once more. Nibelheim had been her home for over ten years, after all, and both of them knew that she wouldn't ever truly return the way some of the townspeople probably believed she would. Leaving a loving home, with the knowledge that it was to be your home no longer, was something not so easily done. As it would also be the first night away from her family, it was probably hitting her now more than ever. Whatever it was, however, he was sure she would talk about it when she was ready. She usually did.

  
That ended up happening once they'd finished setting up camp for the night.

  
"Did you know I've never been camping?"

  
He looked up from where he'd been tending the fire, the steady thrum of heat it provided more than welcome as the chill of night began to settle.

  
"Well, not that I can remember, anyway," Castalia continued, her arms loosely crossed in her lap and her gaze distant. "My dad- that is, the one I'd had before -was really into this sort of stuff. There were videos and pictures of trips that we'd take into the mountains or out fishing on a lake, but I'd never have known if it weren't for those. Too little to have it stick, I guess. Being out here now...I miss them."

  
She laughed, though it lacked her usual cheer. Instead, it rang with a sort of wistful melancholy he was all too familiar with- the glow from the fire reflecting on her glassy eyes for a brief moment before it was rubbed away.

  
"It's silly, isn't it? As much as I don't want to admit it, I haven't _really_ thought about my first family in years. Not like I used to...Then, I spend one night out here, and it hurts like I just lost them yesterday."

  
"...People often tend to remember those they've lost during periods of great change," he found himself replying after a long moment. "From what I understood, even in your previous life, you had never been separated from your family, correct?"

  
At her nod, he remembered old thoughts on how...sheltered her lives had been. A loving family and a peaceful home (for the most part) in both cases...He did not begrudge her these things, for many could not count themselves even half as fortunate. In a way, however, one could credit that same fortune for the heartache she was feeling now.

  
The greatest pains in life were often tied to love, after all.

  
"Then this will be your first time truly setting off without the kind of support you'd always had. The difference lies in the fact that you can return to see your family in Nibelheim at any time, while you cannot do the same for the family you left behind on Earth...It makes you wonder how things might have been had you been given this same opportunity with them...and at their thoughts of how far you've come."

  
He thought of training sessions and the tired but excited grin on Castalia's face when she finally managed to shoot a moving target...and remembered accomplishing the same under his father's tutelage.

  
He thought of quiet days in ShinRa manor, where they would spend the afternoon reading and reciting anything that caught their attention aloud for the other to hear...and remembered a warm living room, his mother's voice echoing gently in the air.

  
He thought of a sunny, summer afternoon and how Castalia had convinced him to stay out to enjoy the breeze...and remembered a picnic on a flower-covered hill.

  
Through Castalia, he had experienced a (relatively) more...normal life than the one he'd had before, and though the tendency to do so did not strike him often, he _had_ wondered what it would have been like to experience the same with them. If his father hadn't been killed and his mother gone shortly after. Had Lucrecia not pushed him away...

  
If he hadn't stood by and let her do so.

  
"...I think they'd be pretty proud of you, you know." 

  
He startled out of his thoughts and saw Castalia wiping away the last of her tears before she looked at him with a small smile.

  
"You're right as always, by the way," she added with a wavering laugh. "It hurts, but at least it's been put into perspective for me. Thank you...and sorry- if I brought up any bad memories, I mean."

  
"No," he denied with a slight shake of his head. "They were...pleasant."

  
"I'm glad."

  
Castalia seemed much more at ease after that, and a comfortable silence fell over them until she finally bid him goodnight and went into her tent. He stood shortly after, moments away from extinguishing the fire and settling down for the night when he paused. 

  
Slowly, he sat back down.

  
As if he changed his mind out of a desire to read, he reached into his pack to pull out a book. Instead, though the pages would turn and his eyes moved back and forth, he was, in fact, staring out into the darkened forest. He doubted there was anything out there that could pose a threat to him, even at this hour...and yet...

  
The beasts inside were unsettled...and he could not deny a slight feeling of unease...

  
They were being watched.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
The next morning, I was feeling much better. Talking with Vincent had helped clear my head, and the enthusiasm I'd been feeling before had returned, making me eager to head out and start looking for Lucrecia's cave...

  
Though he seemed to have something else in mind first.

  
"I give! I _give_!" I cried from where Vincent had me pressed on the ground; my arm twisted painfully behind my back. Once he stepped away, I carefully sat up and hissed as I rubbed my now tender shoulder. "Ouch. I know you've been taking it easy on me, but I didn't think it'd be quite _this_ bad when you stopped holding back as much..."

  
"To be fair, you _did_ dodge the first strike," he offered, checking on the pot of water he'd set to heat up a while ago. "Oftentimes, that makes all the difference."

  
"Well, that's something, I guess," I sighed. "Still kinda wish we could have started this training sooner, but there's no way I would have been able to hide the massive bruise I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get."

  
Not without potions at any rate, and it would have looked suspicious if I'd taken to using one pretty much every day. While we were on the road, there was no need for secrecy. However, I still had to be careful with using potions since the materials to make more weren't as readily available...and because Vincent also wanted me to get used to moving around _with_ injuries. 

  
Hey, he may have been my best friend in this life, but that didn't mean he cut me any slack when it came to these lessons.

  
"Did you do- oh, thanks," I added as he passed me a mug of tea, "-anyway, did you do this kind of training a lot in the Turks?"

  
"It was more common right after being accepted into the program, before being given a designation and assigned a partner," he replied. "Once someone _became_ a Turk, it was considered a risk as there was always work to be done, and going into a job while injured tended to be...detrimental."

  
"Makes sense," I hummed in agreement, then smiled as a random thought occurred to me. "I guess, in a way, that makes me a Turk-in-training, huh?"

  
Vincent snorted softly and raised his own mug to his lips. "By the standards I recall, with what I've taught you and what you've experienced, you would have been a Turk by the time you were fourteen."

  
"Wait, seriously? Isn't that kinda... _young_ for the sort of work the Turks do?"

  
"It is how old I was," he revealed, amusement flickering in his eyes when my own widened in disbelief.

  
"...You know, it's things like this that remind me of just how insane ShinRa is," I finally breathed out, shaking my head.

  
"Indeed."

  
"That won't stop you from using some of their training methods, will it?"

  
"No."

  
Sure enough, as we traveled southeast towards what looked like a lake nestled between some mountains on the map (crossing off the other locations we'd marked as we explored each one), Vincent would have me spar with him in the morning and evening. Of the two, I wasn't sure which I preferred. In the morning I had more energy, so I tended to fair a little better, I had the chance to rest afterward in the evening.

  
Although it was more like passing out the moment I was in my sleeping bag, but rest was rest in the end.

  
I did feel bad for always leaving Vincent with the night watch, but he brushed aside my apology and told me to simply focus on improving. I wasn't the happiest to hear that, but I could understand why he'd said it. Of the two of us, I was definitely the weaker one, and the monsters out here were a lot tougher than the ones back home, even if some of them were technically the same kind. For the time being, it was better to let him be the lookout- at least until I was good enough to fight them off myself. 

  
I hoped I would reach that point sooner rather than later. Vincent didn't need to sleep the way a normal person did, but doing so _did_ help him recharge, in a way. I didn't think he was feeling it too much right now, but sometimes at night, I'd caught a slight tenseness to his shoulders. 

  
At least we'd finally reached the small town where we'd be renting some chocobos for the trek up the mountain. Maybe he'd be able to get some rest at the inn tonight.

  
"I hope they have a phone I can use. Ma and Da are probably wearing a hole in the floor waiting to hear from me- _and_ I missed Cloud's birthday," I added with a wince as I dug around the hammerspace bag for my money pouch. "I don't think a letter will cut it anymore...Being able to shower will be nice too. Camping out's fun and all, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't missed that."

  
It was the peak of summer, but the rivers near and around Nibelheim ran _cold_ , dang it. Sure, they were nice for cooling off when taking a break because all I had to do was splash some water on my face or dip my legs in for a bit, but when it came to freshening up? They were the absolute _worst_. To be fair, it might have also been because I always did said freshening up in the early morning or evening, but the point was I was always freezing by the end of it. Still...ice-cold baths were marginally better than when there _wasn't_ a source of water nearby when we made camp, and I had to use a damp cloth to clean myself up after training. 

  
_Marginally_.

  
"Oh, that reminds me, I should probably ask if they have a washer and dryer for guests..." I muttered absently. "And it wouldn't be a bad idea to give our dishes a good scrub."

  
All aspects of long-term camping that I had never even _thought_ about until I was doing it. I mean, I'd _known_ that I'd need a few pairs of clothes and the like because this was real life and not a game where you could travel around in the same outfit indefinitely without food or sleep, but it was the little things. How to stay (relatively) clean, how to minimize the chance of random animals (and the occasional monster) from wandering too close to the campsite, keeping our camping gear organized, _going to the bathroom_ (and hadn't _that_ been...interesting)...

  
You know, all that good stuff.

  
"Ugh, too much to think about...but least I can say I've had the complete camping experience now," I finished with a grin. "Right, Vincent?"

  
He offered an amused smile in response.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Vincent had admittedly been a bit wary while walking into town. As soon as they'd set foot within its borders, the feeling of being watched faded into almost nonexistence. Besides that, surely the sight of a young girl (in body, even if not in mind) traveling with a notably older man would draw _some_ attention. Even _if_ Castalia was at an age a small town considered reasonable for marriage, there had to be a line drawn _somewhere_. Any negative suspicions towards the exact nature of their relationship could make it harder to do business. However, the town must have played host to quite an eclectic range of people as they were hardly given a second glance.

  
For the most part.

  
"Are you _sure_ you just want one room, kid?" the innkeeper asked once more, giving him a not at all discreetly suspicious glance before looking back at Castalia, brows furrowed just the slightest bit in concern. 

  
He couldn't bring himself to be annoyed for the holdup since an innkeeper who genuinely looked out for the well-being of their patrons was something to be commended.

  
"I'm sure," Castalia reassured the man, no doubt thinking along the same lines as her smile was soft with understanding. "I'm actually a licensed alchemist," she began, pulling out a duplicate of her certificate, the original of which remained in Nibelheim. "Vin here is my bodyguard as I travel around. I've trusted him with my life on more than one occasion."

  
Her statement was a cover-story they had agreed upon shortly after setting out and one they planned on using for the foreseeable future. As they were of no interest to ShinRa at the moment, there had been no need to alter much. The best covers were always those with elements of truth, after all. They were much easier to keep track of and allowed one to be much more natural in their responses. 

  
Sure enough, the innkeeper's doubts seemed to finally settle, and his expression relaxed in favor of a hopeful look.

  
"An alchemist, you say?" he took another look at the certificate, his eyes widening in surprise. "And a Master Alchemist at that! Can't say we get too many of those 'round these parts anymore, especially now that ShinRa's gotten into the synthesizing business. Most of the ones who're left all set up shop in the bigger cities. What sorts of wares do you have?"

  
"A bit of everything. Are you looking for something in particular?"

  
"Well, not me specifically, but if you got anything that works on livestock then my friend Marielle will be mighty interested. See, she runs the chocobo ranch down the road, and her whole flock has come down with something."

  
"The whole flock?!"

  
The innkeeper nodded solemnly. "Green ones seem to be having the worst time of it, but even the yellows can barely muster up the strength to stand. It's the strangest thing- never seen anything like it before." 

  
Castalia had come a long way in keeping herself from broadcasting her emotions, but he could still see the worry in her eyes. Given the circumstances, he couldn't blame her. Rarely was there ever more than one chocobo ranch in a town, which meant that the owner of this one was more than likely the owner of the very rental service they'd planned on utilizing. If all the chocobos had fallen ill, then there would be no chocobos to borrow, and without a chocobo...

  
They probably _could_ still make it up the mountain, but it would not be a quick or easy climb for Castalia.

  
"Think you can help her out?" the man asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. "We sure would appreciate it."

  
"I'll give it my best shot," she replied. "To be honest, the whole reason we came here in the first place was to rent a chocobo. It would kinda suck if we couldn't do that."

  
"That's great to hear!" Indeed, he seemed to slump over in relief for a moment before straightening with a wide grin. "As thanks, consider your stay on the house!"

  
"What?! No, no, there's no need for that-!"

  
"Course there is! Those birds play a part in keeping our town afloat, so if you help her, you're helping all of us! This is the least I can do, and I'm sure Mari would agree. Hell, she'd probably pay for your rooms anyway, just for trying."

  
"Well...if you're sure..."

  
He laughed. "Sure I'm sure."

  
"Then I guess we should head over there to check things out while there's still daylight."

  
"Feel free to drop off your things before you go, and if you have anything that needs washin', leave it out, and we'll take care of it for you."

  
Castalia brightened, which made him hide a smile. She hadn't complained about it during their travels, but he could tell that the slowly deteriorating cleanliness of her clothes had been one of her least favorite aspects of the past few weeks- falling right after bathing in any form. 

  
"Thanks!" she smiled, though it quickly dropped as she blinked in confusion. "Wait, _we_?"

  
"Whoops! In all this talk I almost forgot to introduce myself! The name's Maurice, and I run this inn with the help of my daughter, Lillie. Got another little one named Melanie, but she's still a bit too young to lend a hand. Anyway, pleased to meet ya!"

  
"Ah, I guess I already introduced Vin, but I'm Cass. Nice to meet you too."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
After choosing a room and taking out all of our used dishes and dirty laundry (more mine than Vincent's because that man's body refused to sweat or stink no matter _what_ we did), the two of us left the inn. We made our way to the ranch, arriving just as two women were coming out of the farmhouse's front door.

  
"-couldn't be of much help, Mari," one was saying with a shake of their head.

  
"It's fine, Annie. I know chocobo aren't your specialty," the other- Marielle -sighed. "Thanks for coming over anyway." She finally turned enough to notice us standing there, froze for a second, then forced a smile onto her face. "Hello. Are you looking to rent a chocobo? I'm afraid my stock is feeling a bit under the weather at the moment. But I'm sure they'll be fit for riding in a day or two if you don't mind waiting."

  
"We are looking to rent a couple, but that's not why we're here at the moment. We were actually checking into the inn when we heard about the trouble you're having-"

  
" _Maurice_ ," the rancher groaned, a hand coming up to cover her eyes. "That man should know better than to go talking about private matters with every traveler who comes into town."

  
"He did it with the best intentions," I was quick to tell her, not wanting him to get in trouble. "You see, I'm an alchemist, so-"

  
The next thing I knew, she'd grasped my hands tightly in her own, and she was looking down at me with tears in her eyes.

  
"An alchemist?! Thank the Goddess! Maybe you'll be able to help- goodness knows I've tried just about everything else!"

  
"I-I'll certainly do my best, Ma'am."

  
_'Way to up the pressure, though,'_ I sighed inwardly.

  
"I'll be taking my leave then," Annie told her with a nod. "Give me a holler if you need me, okay? I'll call up a few of my farming contacts in the meantime, see if they know anything that could cause this."

  
"I'll do that. Thanks again, Annie." 

  
"Don't mention it. Good luck, kid," she finished with a smile in my direction.

  
"Thanks..."

  
Annie took off further down the road, and I did my best to hold in my laughter as Marielle stepped back, cast a glance at Vincent, then _did a double-take_ , her cheeks turning pink as she did so. 

  
I almost lost it when I felt a sharp poke to my back. 

  
To her credit, she did seem to notice she was starting to stare and quickly averted her gaze back to me. "Your, uh...companion doesn't speak much, does he? He's been quiet this whole time."

  
"Vin's my bodyguard," I clarified with a grin that _miiight_ have been a bit too wide. "But no, he's not really one for conversation."

  
At least, not with people he didn't know, much less a woman who was clearly interested in his looks. Poor, poor, Vincent. It was quite the tragedy to be cursed with such a handsome face while being such a socially awkward dork. 

  
I felt another poke at my back, much sharper than the first.

  
I cleared my throat and did my best to put on my serious expression (which I'd probably failed at, given how I kept feeling the corners of my lips twitching upward). "So, about those chocobos..."

  
"Oh! Yes, of course! Please, follow me."

  
She quickly led us around the farmhouse and through a fence in order to reach a large barn settled in a wide field. 

  
"I haven't the slightest idea what could have happened," she sighed while unlocking a large bolt on the door. "They're up to date on all of their vaccinations and were perfectly healthy. Then Spearmint, one of my heartiest green chocobos, suddenly keeled over three days ago and hasn't gotten up since. Now, _all_ of them are sick! I've never heard of _anything_ that could spread so quickly!" She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes, turning to us with a distraught expression. "To make matters even _worse_ , something broke through the fence last night and made off with one of the chicks. It's about all I can do just to keep them _alive_ \- now I've got to worry about whatever it is that's looking for an easy meal!"

  
Any mirth I'd still been feeling faded, and I exchanged a troubled look with Vincent when Marielle turned back around. 

  
The more I heard about what was going on, the less likely it was that this was just a matter of bad luck. It actually sounded like whatever had taken the chocobo chick had _intentionally_ caused the flock to get sick in the first place, especially for how quickly it had happened. I didn't know of a monster in the area that could cause _illness_ , though. The closest would probably be a zuu, but you could only find those in the upper parts of Mt. Nibel or up north near Bone Village- and they hunted in packs. Well, there was that story of a lone zuu that had grown so big a group of SOLDIERs had to be sent to take it out, but I think the townspeople would have noticed something like _that_ in the past few days.

  
Marielle pushed the door open, and it was like someone had knocked the breath out of me.

  
I had never played a final fantasy game to its completion in my last life, but I had done enough, and seen enough, to know that I absolutely _loved_ chocobos. Once I began my life here, that love had only grown as I saw what they _truly_ looked like. Then, there was no turning back once I experienced the joy of petting soft feathers and the feeling of a smooth beak pressing against my cheek with a cheerful ' _wark_!' while at Granma and Granda's farm. Granted, Rusty was...a bit of an exception- not for lack of trying -but the point was that chocobos were precious, precious beings that should be loved and protected by all.

  
Which meant I was definitely _not_ okay with seeing about two dozen of them lying listlessly on the floor, eyes clouded with pain and taking stuttering breaths.

  
I felt my heart twist as I walked further into the barn, especially when I noticed one of the remaining chicks leaning against its mother- limp as a ragdoll and just as silent. Admittedly a bit panicked by the sight, I kneeled down and looked the chick over carefully, letting out a trembling sigh of relief as I finally saw it take a breath. I gave it a gentle pat before turning to the mama chocobo and doing the same.

  
"I bet you're fretting about your little one despite not feeling so good yourself, huh?"

  
A weak nudge at my hand- more a twitch than anything -and an even weaker 'kweh' was her only response.

  
"So, can you help them?"

  
Marielle's question brought my attention back to the matter at hand. I ran my hand over Mama Chocobo's head one last time and stood, absently crossing my arms as I thought about what I could do.

  
"I'll be honest. I've never seen anything like this either, and I can't make a treatment if I don't know what's wrong. But-!" I continued when I saw her expression fall, "I can make them some Remedies to combat any poisons they might have in their systems, but I'll have to head back to the inn. While I'm there, I'll have to make a call. I think I might know someone who can help."

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
**Monday, August 16th, [ μ ] - εуλ 1999**

  
When the first ring filled the living room, everyone froze.

  
By the second, Da had somehow tripped over the couch in a mad scramble toward the phone.

  
It was halfway through the third when he finally managed to pick it up.

  
"Hello?... _Cassie_! Did you really have to wait this long to call? You just set out, so you should have known we'd be worried!... What?" The grin that had spread onto his face faded in favor of a more confused expression. "Yeah, I have her number. Mind telling me why you need it so urgently?...Oh...That _does_ sound pretty bad..."

  
Cloud could feel how the air seemed to still- no doubt due to his Ma if the way she was eyeing the phone was any indication.

  
"Well, if you want, I can give her a call for you. I take it you're gonna be hanging around at that inn for a while?...Uh huh...No, it's fine, I'll let them know. You just focus on what you need to do. We can talk more once it's out of the way...Hang on, lemme get something to write with-...Okay, go ahead...Uh-huh...nine...two...six...got it. I'll call you tomorrow since it's starting to get late, alright?... Love you too, Sweetpea...Bye."

  
The moment he hung up, Ma was on him.

  
"What's going on? How is she doing? Whose number did she want? What trouble did she get into that kept her call so short?"

  
Da chuckled and grabbed her hands. "Relax, Skye, Cassie's fine. She just reached a small town that seems to be having some trouble with their chocobos. From the sounds of it, they've caught something nasty, but no one there seems to be able to tell what it is. So she wanted to call my sister to see if she could tell what was wrong."

  
"Oh, is _that_ all?" Ma sighed, relaxing a bit. "You had me worried with your responses."

  
"Ah, I guess it would sound a bit concerning just hearing my end of it," he admitted sheepishly. "But no, she's fine. She said she'll be hanging around at the local inn for a few days while she tries to help them out, so we'll be able to have a few chats with her before she eventually takes off again."

  
"Well, that's something at least. We should probably tell Tifa so that she has a chance to talk to her too."

  
"Sounds like a plan. For now, though, I should give Rio a call."

  
As his Da busied himself with just that and his Ma went off to check on the twins before, no doubt, heading to Tifa's house, he remained on the couch, both relieved and a bit put out. 

  
He was relieved because they'd gotten confirmation that Castalia was doing well and seemed to be in no danger. That meant she hadn't stumbled into any of the people, groups, or situations that sometimes had him pacing the floor of his room in the middle of the night in worry. He probably had Vincent to at least partly thank for her continued well-being, which, while something he was grateful for, did frustrate him a bit. He'd changed enough for Cloud to somewhat expect him to go with her, but he couldn't deny that another part of him had thought Vincent would still be just reclusive enough to choose to stay- therefore finally giving him the chance to talk to the gunman alone. 

  
As for the reason why he was put out? Well, that one was a bit more selfish.

  
"She didn't say happy birthday," he muttered.

  
He knew it was childish, especially at his mental age, but he just couldn't bring himself to care. After living together with her for years, it just felt _weird_ for her not to be nearby anymore. Some days, he still expected to walk into the kitchen and see her there talking with Ma or Da before she inevitably saw him and cheerfully pulled him into the conversation as well.

  
Noticing where his thoughts were going, he shook his head to clear it.

  
"She spoiled me," he sighed under his breath. "Figures that this is when I finally realize it."

  
Still, if there was any sign of how much his life had improved since coming back, feeling miffed over his sister-figure not wishing him a happy birthday was probably it. It was a far cry from the grievances and hardships of the past. Hell, he'd outright hated his birthday in his other life because it only served to remind him of what he'd lost. Tifa had felt much the same, so the two of them had only put up an effort to look happy when the others came around. _Now_ , however? He...actually did sort of look forward to it because it cemented the fact that he'd gotten all of the people he loved _back_ and gained a few more in the process.

  
The thought of his family served to bring his mind back on track. With a slight smile of amusement at how easily he got lost in thought when it concerned them, he stood and made his way upstairs.

  
Since Vincent could no longer be a factor in his immediate plans, he'd have to come up with something else.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

  
Castalia hung up the phone with a sigh and a slight smile on her face. "Well, that actually went a bit better than I thought it would. I thought for sure Ma was going to grab the phone from him and demand a full, detailed account of everything so far."

  
"She still might."

  
She blinked, then laughed. "That's true. That means I should probably start now before all my free time's taken up."

  
Castalia began setting up various materials and equipment, humming all the while. While she did that, he turned to look out the window and to the field beyond, where a lone sheep was lazily walking around- perhaps it had escaped from the local farm?

  
"Hey...Vincent."

  
The tone in her voice drew his attention. Turning, he saw her looking down at the mortar in her hand before she looked up at him.

  
"You should go- to the cave, I mean."

  
He stilled, then felt himself frown. "Castalia-"

  
"Just hear me out," she said, shaking her head. "We both know the only reason we came to this town is because of me. You could easily make it up that mountain and back in, what, a day? Day and a half? So, you can go check out this cave while I work. And if it _does_ turn out to be where Lucrecia is, then staying up there a few days more won't be a problem. I'll just hang out here until you're ready to go."

  
It was a sound plan- one which, at any other time, he would have accepted...but...

  
He thought of long nights- of the feeling of _something_ brushing up against the very edge of his senses that left him feeling disconcerted. At times, he thought he might have even caught a glimpse of whatever seemed to be trailing their footsteps, but it was always gone too quick to be sure.

  
All of which seemed to be conspicuously absent in this little town.

  
He would be a fool to think that such an occurrence was mere coincidence, but whether it was a change for good or ill remained to be seen. The point was, leaving Castalia alone in such an environment was a risk. 

  
"You don't have to worry about me," she continued, almost as if responding to his thoughts. "I'll either be here at the inn or at Marielle's, depending on what Da says tomorrow. I'll be fine, Vin. I got a good feeling about this cave, so you shouldn't hold yourself back because of me."

  
Castalia had that stubbornly earnest expression on her face again (or was it earnestly stubborn?), so he knew there would be little reasoning with her. This was especially so since her argument _was_ a reasonable one without their mysterious pursuers being factored in. 

  
"..."

  
"..."

  
"..."

  
"...Fine," he relented. "Tomorrow."

  
He would tell her everything she needed to be aware of before he left. Hopefully, that would keep her guard up enough to keep her safe while he was gone. If not...

  
Well, it would probably take him _much_ less than a day to get back.

  
"For now, it is time to sleep."

  
If the strange presence chose to make itself less noticeable while they were in this town, then he would take advantage of that while he could and use the time to recover.

  
He had the feeling he was going to need it.

  
**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~ Chapter End**

  
And so ends the first chapter of the next arc. 

  
To be honest, I intended for the segment with Lucrecia's cave to all be one chapter. However, it just seemed to get longer and longer as the days passed until I finally decided it might be for the best to separate it. We should see its conclusion by the next one, though, and then we'll be moving on. 

  
Let's see...things about this chapter...

  
Ah, let's start with the Bag of Holding.

  
A bit of game mechanics have come into play here, but I did try to fit it into a more realistic setting. Not too realistic, because this is a world of magic marbles and sentient planets, but, you know, more realistic than "press start to access your [ridiculous amount of] items." A hammerspace bag was one of the best ways I could think of that would allow Castalia to keep up her alchemy work while on the road. 

  
Lilo getting worked up at Castalia's absence? No joke, the few times I've been away from home for more than a day, she's gotten super upset. It makes me feel like the scum of the Earth, but at the same time, it kind of makes me happy to know she misses me that much. Having such a loyal, loving pet is the best.

  
Vincent was taking it easy on Castalia while they were in Nibelheim so that people wouldn't get suspicious. The gloves are off now. 

  
As Cloud pointed out, he is also more social than his canon self, but only with Castalia. By this point in time, they've known each other for six years, and Vincent's a pretty good guy at heart. I'd say that it's not too outside the realm of reason to have him be friendlier towards her after that long.

  
He's still pretty much the same towards everyone else, though. That's why he didn't really say anything when they were around other people.

  
Sick and/or hurt chocobos are no fun to think about. I am a member of the Chocobo Protection Squad (which might also include a particular Chocobo head). Zack will either become a member or become one of the protectees at some point, depending on how crazy his hair gets.

  
Castalia actually does have some experience in synthesizing potions for livestock. This is mostly due to having grandparents and an aunt and uncle who regularly deal with them. She learned so that she could help them out if they ever needed it.

  
So, that's it then. With this chapter up, Horizons is now caught up with its FF.Net counterpart. As such, expect the update speed to slow down considerably. Sorry about that, by the way. Adulting takes up time, you know, and I have been working a lot of overtime due to the pandemic. I'll try to keep you all updated on chapter progress over on Tumblr.

  
For now, I bid you all a wonderful day. Take care, and until next time.


End file.
